Tell Me
by Venus Styles
Summary: Harry can't help but be jealous of Hogwarts' new most adorable couple, Ron and Hermione. Half the year is gone, evil nowhere in sight - he's tired of feeling lonely and the third wheel. Too bad the girl he's falling hard for means some competition.
1. Sleep Another Day

**Title:** **Tell Me**

**Rating:** PG

**Summary:** Harry can't help but be jealous of Hogwarts' new most adorable couple, Ron and Hermione. Half the year is gone, evil nowhere in sight - he's tired of feeling lonely and the third wheel. Too bad the girl he's falling hard for means some competition.

**Genre:** _Romance/Humor_

**

* * *

****Tell Me**

**Chapter 1: Sleep Another Day**

Harry couldn't sleep. He just wasn't tired. He knew it must be early morning, but it was still pitch black outside. He crawled out from under the covers and looked out the frosted window. He touched the glass and looked outside, wiping away some of the condensation. It was very icey on the window, and that made him realize how freezing he was without blanket covers. He decided to crawl back underneath the blankets and stared at the ceiling, still wide awake.  
"Harry?" he heard a voice mumble. He turned around to see Ron, still bundeled up, sitting upright and rubbing his eyes.  
"Go back to sleep," Harry ordered quietly. Ron threw off the covers and swumg his legs over the side of the bed.  
"Can't now," he muttered. "It's freezing! Where's my coat..." Ron began searching frantically for his warm, wool coat.  
"Isn't that it on the bedside table?" Harry asked. Ron turned to look and smiled.  
"Oh, right..." Ron said. "Oh, yes, and Happy Christmas, Harry!" he added excitedly. Harry smiled and slowly emerged from under the pile of blankets.  
"Happy Christmas, Ron," Harry replied. Harry ripped open the drawer from the bedside table and took out a small, poorly wrapped package.  
"It's just a small gift, but Happy Christmas anyway," he said, handing Ron the parcel. Ron gave him a suspicious smile as he quickly tore off the brown paper.  
"It's a cake!" Ron exclaimed eagerly as he bit into the desert smothered in icing and chocolate. "OW!" he shouted suddenly as his lips, cheeks, and ears turned bright orange. "It burns! Harry, it's burning!" he cried. Just a suddenly as it had appeared, the orange color began to fade away. Harry laughed at Ron and as he threw the rest of the desert in a dustbin.  
"It's a Flamer Cake. Fred and Georgesent them over by Owl Post the other day! Sorry, I didn't really get anyone gifts," Harry said apologetically. Ron glared at him as he crossed his arms and sat back on the bed.  
"So I guess I shouldn't give you your gift?" Ron asked hesitantly. Harry looked shocked.  
"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't know you got me anything," Harry said. Ron shrugged.  
"It's alright...I didn't get you anything anyway," Ron said with a smug smile. Harry sighed and sat back on his bed.  
"What time is it?" Harry asked Ron.  
"Oh, I don't know where you could find that out," Ron said sarcastically, nodding toward the enormous clock outside the castle. Harry shot him a look and checked the time.  
"Wow, it's early. No one else will be up for hours. You think we'd want to lay in, seeing as it's a holiday," said Harry. Ron nodded as he let out a yawn. The two sat in silence as they shifted their attention to other parts of the dormitory.  
"Hey, you want to wake Hermione up?" Ron suggested, breaking the silence. Harry glared at him.  
"You know we can't go to her dormitory! Besides, that prefect Leah catches everyone. She's the junior woman cloneof Filch," Harry remarked. Ron shrugged.  
"I did get _her_ a gift," Ron said quietly, looking down to the floor where he was swinging his foot. Harry scoffed. Ron quickly looked up at him and said, "Oh, it's nothing. I didn't even get it for her. My mum sent me a sweater the other day - it's the ugliest thing ever and it's not even my size."  
"What does it look like?" Harry inquired.  
"Pink, yes, my mum made me a _pink_ sweater! Then there are these crimson tassles hanging around, and it makes it all frilly," Ron recalled. "At least Hermione won't be able to tell it wasn't meant for her." Harry shrugged.  
"I'm sure the red 'R' covering the front won't give it away," he said sarcastically with a laugh. Ron shook his head.  
"No, I checked, there's no 'R'. But you know, women are supposed to be so good with fashion, there must be some way she uses to find out these things," Ron said. Harry nodded as he lay back down on his bed. Ron did the same. The two didn't speak before drifting back off to sleep.

"Happy Christmas, Ron!" Harry heard a voice say next to him.  
"Happy Christmas, Hermione. Why didn't you wait for us to get down to breakfast?" Harry heard someone else say. It was Ron and Hermione. He turned around and sat up in bed. He hadn't realized what time it was. He turned to the window, which was flooding the room with sunlight. Then he hopped off his bed and yawned. Hermione laughed as she looked towards him.  
"Breakfast? It's noon! Everyone's already found all their gifts. Ginny was nice enough to get _your_ Owl Post," Hermione said. She smiled at the two boys and motioned for them to come downstairs.  
In the common room, she pointed to a pile of parcels. Ron eagerly grabbed a few and tossed them to Harry. Hethen proceeded to tear open his. He moaned at his first gift.  
"Another sweater?" he whined, then suddenly took in a breath, "I mean, oh, a sweater...That reminds me, Hermione, I have something for you." Hermione brightened up and sat down next to him at the table.  
"Really? That's really nice..what is it?" she asked. Ron went upstairs for a moment and returned soon with the pink sweater. He handed it to Hermione majestically who took it from him with a wide smile.  
"It's...beautiful...I love it, thank you, Ron!" Hermione said graciously. Harry was chewing on cakes he found in his packages that Mrs. Weasly had sent him. With his mouthful he asked,  
"What else did you get, Hermione?"  
"My parents just sent over some sweets and some clothes. Basic needs. Ginny also gave me a digital watch," Hermione replied. Ron gave her a confused expression so she explained, "It tells you the exact time, Ron." Ron scoffed.  
"Why can't you just look at a clock?" he asked dismissively. Hermione set down the sweater.  
"It _is_ a clock, Ron."  
"Well then why don't you call it a clock! What's the problem with that? _Digital watch..._" Ron mumbled. Hermione shook her head.

"It's a different clock, Ron," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"A clock's a clock!"

"It's not just any clock! It doesn't need hands. It tells you what time it is."

"So it's made for idiots who have the attention span of a fork and can't read a clock?"  
"Let's just drop it," she suggested snappily. Ron nodded his approval. Harry decided to shift the tension by asking,  
"Is there anything left to eat?" Hermione shrugged.  
"I don't know. I'm going to put this in my room. Thanks again, Ron," Hermione said, showing him the sweater once more. She got up from the seat and collected Ron and Harry's rubbish before heading to her dormitory. Ginny was just coming in as she left and waved before continuing on her way. Ginny stopped in her tracks and pointed her thumb back in Hermione's direction.  
"Did she just have a pink sweater?" she asked Ron. Ron's eyes widened as he nodded. He knew that he'd been found out.  
"Mum sent me a letter. She said she sent you my gift by mistake! Did you just give Hermione my sweater?" Ginny asked, surprised. Ron turned towards Harry and gave him a pleading look.  
"What do you want me to do about it? You're the one who gave away a gift," Harry remarked. Ron silently slammed his hand on the table.  
"Well, what am I supposed to do now, Ginny? She thinks that's her Christmas present! Do you want me to just take it back?" Ron cried. Ginny shook her head and crossed her arms.  
"No," she said, "I will. It's a simple explanation - it's your fault." Ginny turned to walk out the door but Ron jumped up and grabbed her arm, almost pulling them both to foor.  
"You can't, Ginny! Don't, don't getthat one mad at me. Please, I've been through enough today - I didn't get breakfast!" he pleaded. Ginny shot him a disgusted look and yanked her arm from his grasp.  
"Fine, I won't. I'm taking back your sweater though," Ginny said, pulling the red heap of yarn from underneath the pile sweets and other food. Ron shrugged as he flopped back onto a wooden chair and grabbed another Chocolate Frog.

"What are you doing, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry had his head on the table in the common room when Ron came back from the dining hall. It was five o'clock and already dark out.  
"I'm just tired, that's all. And bored," Harry said quietly as he straightened up and turned towards Ron. Ron shook his head dissaprovingly.  
"That's not it. Stop acting so self-pitiful, Harry. What's wrong lately?" he asked. Harry shrugged.  
"Nothing. And self-pitiful? Before you and Hermione did anything aboutthat prolongedcrush, all you did was whine about how you helpless you were. 'Oh, she doesn't like me.' 'Oh, I'm so sad.' What was _that_?" Harry snapped. Ron stood up, pushing the chair aside.  
"Hey, at least I have Hermione. What about you?" Ron shouted back. Harry turned back to the table. Ron rolled his eyes at his insensitivity.  
"That's what, isn't it?" Ron asked sympathetically, sitting back down. Harry rested his head in his hand.  
"What's what?" Harry asked stupidly in a mumble. Ron huffed.  
"What's what? What your problem is, that's what!" Ron cried. "Besides, you can't be tired! We woke up at noon." Harry shrugged.  
"It's not that I'm _jealous_ or anything. I'm just...I'm just, jealous. I guess. You have a family, brothers, sisters, a girlfriend even! Oh, no offense but...but you have _everything_ I want," Harry finally confessed. Both of them looked at their shoes solemnly.  
"I'm sorry," Ron apologized in a mutter. Harry shook his head.  
"For what? Don't be sorry. Good for you. It's good that you have a family and Hermione. You should," Harry insisted. Ron nodded.  
"You should too," Ron replied, hitting him on the shoulder with the back of his hand cheerfully. Harry forced a smile. "Harry, it's a huge place, Hogwarts - besides, it's a holiday. Stop whining and do something about it."


	2. Shut Up

**Chapter 2: Shut Up**

"Harry, what are you doing now?" Ron asked, a little whiny. Harry looked up from his parchment and books to Ron and said,  
"Homework, Ron. What about you?" Ron looked over to his stack of unfinished homework and sighed.  
"Oh right," he mumbled, sitting down. Reluctantly, he began to finish his too. It turned very quiet as the only sounds in the common room were the quick scratching of pens against parchment, breathing, and flipping of pages. The two would look towards each other from time to time to see if they'd rather do something else.  
"Done," Harry finally said triumphantly with a sigh of relief. He put away the finished paper and stuffed his books into a sack. In a minute, Ron held up his own paper with a smile.  
"Finished," he said, still smiling. He looked to his shortened pile of still unfinished homework and sighed. "Damn, I'm not finished." Harry shrugged.  
"Maybe Hermione will help you," he suggested.  
"Hey, I don't have to spend every waking hour with her, Harry," Ron shouted defensively.  
"But you do anyway," Harry remarked. Ron shrugged.  
"Oh, she'll probably come in later. I actually told her I wanted to talk to her," Ron said. When Harry's expression didn't change, he continued, "About you, Harry."  
"About me? Why?" he asked, confused.  
"Well, because your constant aloofness is getting really annoying," Ron said, throwing his pen to the paper. "Hermione probably knows _someone_ just willing enough to go out with you." Harry put his face in his hands and shook his head. He looked up at Ron and waved his hands to show his disapproval.  
"No, Ron, don't even ask her. I don't need you to do that. I don't _want_ you to do that," Harry begged.  
"Why not? Isn't that what you want?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.  
"Not like that, no," Harry muttered.  
"Well, Harry, you're never going to do anything about it! Stop being so dodgy about what you want," Ron cried. Harry knew he was right, but he didn't want him talking to Hermione about this. Hermione was very kind and considerate, but he was just barely comfortable talking to Ron about what he wanted.  
"Do whatever you want," Harry finally managed to mumble. He grabbed his sack of things and rushed out into the halls.

Ron sighed as Harry ran out. He grabbed another book from the pile and threw it open in front of him and began to struggle through writing his essay. He was a few sentences in when Hermione came into the common room.  
"Hey, I see your doing homework," Hermione commented casually. She sat down and straightened up. "I finished mine hours ago. Just starting your Potions, I see? Well, considering the trouble you'll probably be in if you _don't_ get that done, I'll just leave you alone then."  
"No, Hermione, I needed to talk to you," Ron said, quickly putting his homework away. Hermione looked annoyed that he wasn't going to complete his essay, but sat there long enough for Ron to talk to her.  
"Have you noticed how..different Harry is acting lately?" Ron started. Hermione shrugged.  
"Oh, right, Harry...I guess he seems a little reserved lately. Maybe he's just getting used to...us, I mean, we had to get used to...us," Hermione suggested. Ron shook his head and dismissed her explanation completely.  
"No, no..that's not it. He's well...lonely," Ron said.  
"Lonely, why?" Hermione asked with a confused expression.  
"Because...he doesn't have a you," Ron said, trying to find the right words to handle this sensitively.  
"A _me_?" Hermione whispered, pointing to herself, "He wants a _me_?"  
"Not a _you_, just...what you are...to..he wants a someone to talk to, to go out with..not just a girl pal, you know!" Ron finally yelled, frusterated. Hermione took a deep sigh, finally understanding.  
"Oh. And...you're going to find him one?" Hermione said, laughing. She added sarcastically, "Well, fine then...good luck with that."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked. Hermione shrugged. Looking away, she said,  
"It's just I wonder if _you're_ the right person he should be talking to." Ron stood up and leaned against the table, both hands on the wood.  
"Why not?" he asked. Hermione stood up too so that she was level with him again. She wasn't yelling; she still kept her calm stance.  
"Well, Ron," she began with a laugh, "it took _you_ six years to write a silly little note that you wouldn't even admit was yours. I just don't think Harry should be talking to _you_ to find him a 'not just a girl pal.'" Ron flopped back onto his seat.  
"You're right, and I knew that," he mumbled. "That's why I needed to talk to you. Hermione, what do you think?"  
"I can't think of anyone right now," Hermione said. Suddenly she got an idea. Sitting up straight and resting her hands on the table, she suggested, "What about Parvati? Parvati's pretty. And, remember, Harry took her to the Yule Ball."  
"Do you even _remember_ the Yule Ball?" Ron asked, somewhat bitterly.  
"Yes, I do," Hermione remarked. Ron huffed and crossed his arms.  
"I'm sure you do," Ron snapped in a mumble. Hermione giggled a little under her breath.  
"Ron," she said, still laughing, "I can't believe you. That was _three years ago_. It's not like the Yule Ball, or anything after, meant anything. Well, besides that miserable murder..."  
"What happened still happened," Ron muttered looking down at the ground. Hermione gently caressed his arm to calm him down. Ron sighed and let his crossed arms hang down at his sides.  
"It's really nice that you want to do this for Harry. But did you even talk to him about this?" Hermione asked quietly. Ron nodded.  
"Of course I did."  
"And what did he say?" Ron knew that just under twenty minutes ago Harry had told him specifically not to talk to Hermione about this before storming out. When Ron didn't answer, Hermione nodded and said, "I thought so," quietly.  
"Look, I'm doing him a _favor_," Ron said to defend his purpose. Hermione nodded comfortingly even though Ron knew she obviously didn't agree.  
"He told you not even to talk to me, didn't he?" Hermione asked to coax out the truth. Ron eyed her suspiciously and crossed his arms again.  
"I thought you didn't take Divination."

Harry slowed his pace as he walked farther and farther away from the common room. He was heading to the library, even though he knew he wouldn't be doing much once he arrived there.  
"In a hurry?" asked a voice behind him. It took Harry a moment to realize they were talking to him. He stopped and turned around. Ginny was standing there and gave him a quick smile. She probably was just returning from the library, as she was clutching a few rolls of parchment and dragging a lumpy sack obviously packed with books.  
"Hi, Ginny," Harry muttered before turning and continuing to the library.  
"Is there something the matter?" Ginny asked somewhat abruptly. Harry stopped but didn't turn around.  
"No," he answered shortly. He realized that he was just being temperamental with Ginny because he was upset with Ron. Why was he angry with Ron anyway? He was only trying to help a friend, even if Harry didn't want to be helped that way. He turned towards Ginny and waved his hand out as if he was offering an apology. "Sorry, Ginny..I just have a lot on my mind." Ginny nodded.  
"It's alright, but what could possibly be bothering you?" she asked. Harry scoffed.  
"There's a _lot_ that could be bothering me," Harry said as-a-matter-of-factly. Ginny stepped closer to Harry so she wasn't shouting across the darkening halls.  
"Well what _exactly_ is bothering you?" Ginny asked, a little more polite and sweet then before. Harry waved her off and began walking again. Ginny was about to do the same but stayed still. She didn't begin walking again. When Harry noticed the too-quiet halls, he turned around.  
"What?" Harry asked curtly.  
"I know there's something bothering you," Ginny said. "You're heading towards the library, which is going to be closed very soon. You're angry with me, when I've done nothing but ask you what's wrong." Harry sighed and let his sackslip from his fingers onto the floor.  
"We better talk about this while we walk back to the common room."

"Now I'll ask you again, Harry. What is it that you won't let Ron help you with?" Ginny asked as soon as they'd returned to the common room. "Hi, Ron, Hermione," she greeted the two with a smile.  
"Oh, Ginny," Hermione said with a bright smile. She quickly leaned across the table and whispered to Ron, "Why don't you ask Ginny?" Ron shook his head.  
"My sister? That's just brilliant," Ron whispered back sarcastically. Hermione gave him a stern look.  
"What's wrong with that?"  
"Well, because..because, well you've got me doing homework after dinner. Haven't you done enough damage?" Ron snapped. Hermione leaned back from the table and got up.  
"Get any work done at the library?" Hermione asked Harry to make conversation.  
"I finished before I went down there," Harry said politely. He was just trying to get her out of the way so he could make his way to the dormitory. Ron was about to do the same when Hermione suggested,  
"Ginny, why don't you sit down?" Ron rolled his eyes and joined them at the table.  
"Did Harry talk to you coming back here?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded.  
"Yeah, in fact, he's upset with you, Ron. He didn't have a chance to tell me why."  
"I was going to find him someone for him to go out with," Ron explained. Ginny nodded again.  
"That makes sense. Just not the part about _you_ doing that," Ginny said, laughing at Ron. Ron slammed his fist on the table.  
"_Why_ does everyone keep saying that?"  
"So," Ginny asked, "did you want me to help?" Ron shook his head quickly.  
"No, no, Ginny I don't," Ron pleaded. Ginny sighed.  
"That's too bad. I knew someone who happens to have a crush on Harry. She's very nice, very pretty."  
"Oh, another sixth year? Like no one would be willing who's our own age?" Ron snapped curtly. "Enough of your Gryffindor friends have done enough damage."  
"So I made a bad choice with Lena," Ginny remarked, thinking quickly. "But Katherine Linski is the smartest girl in the class."  
"Brains, oh corking. I'm sold, get her over," Ron said sarcastically, slapping his hand to his forehead. Hermione didn't even think before swatting the back of his head with such force he was sent head first into the table.  
"You are such a git, Ron," Ginny commented. Ron glared at her as he rubbed the back of his head.  
"So, Ginny, what else is there about Katherine?" Hermione asked.  
"Wait one minute, who said we were talking about _her_ anymore?" Ron cried. Both Hermione and Ginny took a look at Ron, then turned back to each other to continue talking.  
"She has straight, brown hair, I think blue eyes, and she's got a great sense of humor. I think her father or uncle or something owns part of that joke shop in Diagon."  
"Joke shop?" Ron asked hesitantly. Ginny smiled and nodded again. She knew she'd sold them.  
"Top of your class?" Hermione whispered almost to herself. Ginny shook her head.  
"She's not a Gryffindor," she said quietly, looking down at the table.  
"I thought you said she was the smartest girl in your class?" Hermione asked, disappointed. Ginny was also set back. For a moment, she thought she'd actually done a better job then Ron and proved him wrong once again.  
"When I said that, I meant out of the sixth years," Ginny explained. "She's a Ravenclaw."  
"You are _friends_ with a Ravenclaw? Good enough friends with another house?" Ron accused, staring her down with narrowed eyes. Ginny rolled her eyes.  
"What's wrong with that?" she demanded. "Absolutely nothing!" Hermione sighed.  
"Ginny's right, Ron. Remember Cho? She was a Ravenclaw." Ron threw his hands up in the air.  
"Cho was _mental_! We all remember how that turned out!" Ron shouted. Hermione ignored him.  
"If you get a chance, ask her to come to the library before dinner," she said. "And Ron - I don't want another word out of you."

* * *

**A/N**: Me using British terms sounds really weird, I know, but don't blame me for trying. To clue you in, I have only a vague sense of where this story's going, I only basically know the ultimate outcome. But don't worry - you know I always come up with something. Hopefully, we both won't be disappointed.  
And July 16th for the HP&THBP? I can't survive half a year without something, what with the movie out in November...you all know what I'm talking about! 


	3. One Chance

**Chapter 3: One Chance**

"Ron, Ron, RON! What did I tell you?" Harry shouted. Ron started to flap his hands up in down to signal Harry to be quiet. Harry got the hint, but would not take it. "I will not quiet down, Ron," Harry continued to yell. "I told you not to do this! I _begged_ you not to do this. I won't meet her. I don't even _know_ her."  
"Hey! I didn't like her either! I tried to stop them, but - but they wouldn't listen!" Ron yelled back, pleading with Harry to forgive him.  
"How would they have known about this if you hadn't told them?" asked Harry furiously. Ron bowed his head and stopped waving his arms about.  
"I was just trying to do you a favor," Ron snapped. Harry crossed his arms.  
"About something I told you _not_ to do?" Harry snapped back. Ron shrugged.  
"I didn't believe you," Ron admitted. "She's already down at the library, you know. Are you just going to leave her there like some git?" Harry didn't want to go, but this Katherine hadn't done anything wrong. She didn't deserve to be abandoned like that. He stood there for a moment, then finally replied,  
"No, I'll go," he muttered, "but I'm still not happy with you."

"Where is she, where is she, where is she?" Harry asked quietly and frantically to Ginny, who'd taken him down to the library. Ginny pointed to a girl sitting quietly at a table, her hand set impatiently on the tabletop and her long, pin-straight hair tied back with a black ribbon. She looked up and smiled at Ginny and Harry and sat up straighter. Ginny waved and dragged Harry over and motioned for him to sit down.  
"Katherine, you know Harry. Harry, this is Katherine Linski. She's a Ravenclaw, but I think I told you that," Ginny introduced. Katherine nodded.  
"Yeah, I do know Harry," Katherine said slyly. She smiled and crossed her arms as she leaned back in her seat. Her piercing blue eyes and playfully mischievious grin made Harry uneasy. He hesitantly sat down across from her. Ginny smiled at Harry before sitting down and pretending to do her homework at a nearby table.  
Katherine saw how nervous Harry looked and rolled her eyes. She leaned forward in the chair again, her elbows on the table and hands folded.  
"Don't worry, I wouldn't hurt a fly. Oh, maybe a fly, but you? Not you," she joked. Harry forced a polite smile. Now Katherine was just getting irritated and no longer smiling.  
"You don't want to be here," she guessed confidently. "I don't want to be here either." Harry didn't know whether to be relieved or offended, but Katherine continued, "Let's go outside."  
"Outside?" Harry asked. What was she trying to say?  
"Yeah, the area without the walls," explained Katherine sarcastically. "It's so stuffy and quiet in the library. Maybe you wouldn't be so uptight if we were outside." Harry saw her logic, but he felt more secure in the library. Katherine was already getting up from her seat. Was he supposed to follow her? Reluctantly, he did.  
Outside, Katherine took in a deep breath and held out her arms. She closed her eyes and exhaled. Harry didn't quite know what she was doing, except for breathing too much. He stood by politely until she turned around again.  
"Fresh air," she sighed happily, "let's sit down." She motioned to a bench along one of the walls. Harry followed her and sat down next to her.  
"Nice weather for such a cold month, right?" Harry said, almost in a whisper.  
"Yes, enough about the weather. Ginny told me that you just wanted to meet me. Is there anything you want to know?" she asked. Harry sighed.  
"Can I tell you something honestly?" Harry asked. Katherine nodded understandingly. She knew just exactly what was on his mind.  
"Ginny and Ron and Hermione...they put me up to this. You seem like a wonderful person..uh..Katherine, but I don't deal with this well," Harry confessed. Katherine smiled and nodded. She pat her hand on his back more comfortingly then in a romantic way. It made Harry less nervous.  
"Ginny put me up to this too," Katherine also admitted.  
"Really?" asked Harry. He was relieved she understood, but he was a little hurt this wasn't her idea.  
"She actually told me that she already told you all about me and she needed someone for you to go out with," Katherine explained. Harry was becoming more annoyed with Katherine.  
"Why would she do that?" he demanded. Katherine shrugged.  
"I don't know, she told me something about needing something to tell Ron and Hermione," Katherine said.  
"Tell them about what?" Harry asked, no longer for curiosity but to seek information. Katherine sighed and shrugged again, more frusterated.  
"I don't know, but now that we both admitted we were set up, I think we should just go back inside," she said abruptly. Katherine had already walked quickly back inside the castle, but Harry was walking slower then he had when Ginny had dragged him into the library in the first place. He was thinking about why Ginny would do this. Maybe she wanted to show up Ron. Maybe she was just trying to impress her older friends. _Whatever the reason,_ he thought to himself, _it's completely harmless. Just ask Ginny yourself._

Once back in the library, Ginny pretended she hadn't been staring at Harry at all. She had a wondering look on her face and her pen hadn't moved in minutes. Finally, Harry got irritated with her and walked over.  
"Katherine and I both know that you put us up to this," Harry admitted bruskly. Ginny slammed her pen down and crossed her arms. Harry thought she looked a lot like her brother when she did that. This thought bothered him.  
"Why did you do that?" she demanded. "Katherine is such a nice girl. You just blew it."  
"Well, she didn't want to be there either," Harry replied defensively. "Why did you ask her to meet with me? I thought she already wanted too?" Ginny sat awkwardly in her seat.  
"I was just trying to help Ron out - did _you_ really think _he_ could do a better job?" she snapped Harry shrugged. _There's your explanation,_ he thought.  
"Yeah, alright then," Harry said. He got up from his seat and returned to the common room.

Ron and Seamus seemed to be having a fight about Quidditch when Harry returned.  
"You have to be kidding...Chudley Cannons, all the way!" Ron had shouted just as Harry was walking in. Seamus rolled his eyes and stormed out, dashing past Harry without a good-bye. Ron still looked a little tiffed when Harry sat next to him.  
"How'd it go?" Ron asked. Harry shrugged.  
"Not at all," Harry replied. At Ron's confused expression, he continued, "It was all Ginny's idea, so we both just...left."  
"And Ginny was wrong?" Ron demanded excitedly.  
"I don't think Katherine _actually_ has a crush on me," Harry remarked.  
"And Ginny was wrong?" Ron demanded again.  
"Yes, Ginny was wrong," Harry replied to satisfy Ron. Ron nodded and smiled. Then he quickly took a feigned solemn look and pat Harry on the back.  
"I'm fine, Ron," Harry said. Ron nodded.  
"Sorry about this whole mess. It's my fault," Ron admitted.  
"I know, Ron," Harry replied. Ron looked annoyed, as if he wasn't supposed to say that. Hermione rushed in excitedly and suddenly. She spun around the room, looking for Harry and Ron. When she spotted them, she rushed over and jumped to a seat. She was wearing some hand-knit socks, her uniform skirt, and the sweater Ron gave her for Christmas.  
"Hey, you're wearing the sweater!" Ron commented with a smile, "It looks nice, Hermione..." Hermione smiled widely and brightly which made Harry and Ron nervous. It was sort of a plastic smile.  
"Doesn't it though?" she said sweetly, "Your mother does have fine taste." Ron's eyes widened as his cheeks, ears, and even neck burned scarlet red. He slouched down in his seat so far it looked as if he was just going to fall through the floor.  
"How did you know?" he asked in a mumble. Hermione smiled normally but smugly and crossed her arms.  
"Ginny told me when I came in the library wearing the sweater," she said.  
"What?!" Ron roared, "Well, then I demand _my_ sweater back!" Hermione giggled. "It's not funny!" Ron barked.  
"Oh, oh, but it is," she stated calmly. "You could have just _not_ given me anything. After all, I didn't get anything for you." Ron stared her down.  
"That's right," he said, not even breaking his glance, "you didn't!" Hermione laughed and held out her hands as she did.  
"It wasn't even a real gift," Hermione said.  
"So? At first, you thought it was! Now that's just rude," Ron said disgustedly.  
"Since when did we _demand_ gifts from each other?" Hermione asked, now annoyed. "Right, Harry?" Harry shook his head.  
"No, no, this a _couple's_ fight," Harry muttered with a little chuckle under his breath. He got up and moved to another table. Ron sighed and shook his head. He stormed off into the dormitory. Hermione sighed herself, but more amused then upset.  
"Can you believe him?" Hermione said to Harry as she watched Ron's direction. When Harry didn't even reply, she turned towards him. She waved her hand as if summoning him to sit down next to her. When Harry did so, she asked him, "How did you like Katherine?"  
"Oh, Ginny put us _both_ in this set up...it wasn't Katherine's idea, it certainly wasn't my idea, and so we both just walked away," Harry spit out. He was tired of having to keep explaining himself.  
"Would you like me to -- " Hermione started, but Harry shouted an interuption,  
"NO! HERMIONE - Hermione, I don't want any more set ups. I'm going to bed."  
"Harry, it's not even dinner - "  
"Then I'm not going to sleep," Harry grunted before pounding his feet up the steps.

Harry noticed a smashed photo frame by his bed when he reached the boys' dormitory. Inside was a picture of Fred, George, and Ginny. It looked fairly recent, like from over the summer. Fred and George were making faces and teasing Ginny from behind, and Ginny was smiling brightly, her red hair curled around her ears. They seemed to be keeping their cool about the destroyed frame.  
"What's this?" Harry asked Ron, holding up the frame for him to see. Ron snatched the picture and sighed about the smashed glass.  
"We took this on Ginny's birthday over the summer...it's one of the pictures mum gave me to put on that table," Ron explained, pointing to the bedside table behind him without looking at it. "It must've gotten knocked off when I uh...threw my pillow at it..."  
"You have no right to get mad at Hermione," Harry barked. Ron shot Harry such a look that suggested he was crazy.  
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Ron asked.  
"I'm just frusterated with my problems, Ron," Harry sighed, lying down on his bed and closing his eyes even though he had no intention to fall asleep. He opened his eyes as Ron was still holding up the frame and staring back at him. Everyone in the photo seemed to be staring back at him too. He looked from Ron to the picture. All the Weasleys did look so much alike. He also kept thinking about what Ginny had said.  
_"You blew it."_ What she said replayed over and over again. He didn't really think aboutapplying it to Katherine when he thought about it....but what if Katherine was the only one who would go out with him? What if he really did miss his oppurtunity? He was tired of missing out on not having anything. Flashbacks played like a movie in his head. He had the dread of every summer before where he'd have to live with the Dursley's in their homey hell. He remembered having the sneak into Hogsmeade, because he didn't have parents or loving guardians to sign his permission slip. He remembered finally having a guardian, his godfather, Sirius Black. He'd never been so happy then when he had contact to him. But what did Harry do? Sirius was gone, and it had been all Harry's fault. He fell into that trap. And he knew being happy for Ron and Hermione - _finally_ they knew their feelings about each other after all these years. Finally, they were in a relationship. Ron hadn't talked much about it, if at all, but it came as no surprise when he found a letter written out and addressed to none other then Hermione in Ron's red, cloth sack. Harry wondered to himself if he could ever do that. If there was going to _be_ anyone for him to do that for. There'd been a war, but he got through that. He was strong enough to defeat his evil and fear. What he wasn't sure he could handle was being alone forever. With Katherine seeming like his only chance, he didn't want one last chance to slip away. He sat up and sighed. He slapped his hand to his forhead and let out a heavier sigh. Ron finally set the smashed photo frame back on the table and threw the pillow that had taken its place back on the bed.  
"Did you meet Katherine?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.  
"Is she nice?" Ron asked uncomfortably.  
"I wouldn't know," Harry asked. "It's a long story and I'm too tired to say it again."  
"Did you just walk away or explain it to her first?" Ron asked somewhat bitterly. Harry thought he almost seemed offended that he didn't even askthat Katherineon a date.  
"We both walked away and explained to each other," Harry admitted quietly. Ron nodded.  
"I told you that I didn't want them to do this with _Katherine_, but you should've made yourself go out with her," Ron told him. Harry scoffed.  
"Why?" he asked.  
"I've never seen you like this, not even with...well, Cho," Ron said. "It's...very annoying. It's hard to be around you."  
"You're right. I just don't know why I'm acting like this," Harry said. Ron swung his arm around Harry in a pal-like way. He nodded and Harry nodded back, as if they were sharing some kind of telepathic understanding.  
"You think Ginny is still in the library?" Harry asked. Ron was taken a back. He flung off his arm immediately and stood up.  
"Why?" Ron demanded, eyes wide with surprise. Harry realized how it must've sounded to Ron.  
"Uh...no, I just..I just wanted to know if she could talk to Katherine for me," Harry explained awkwardly. Ron sighed relief quietly.  
"Oh..sure, she takes a while to do homework as well. Runs in the family I suppose," Ron mumbled. Things were a little awkward now, so the two sat on their bed in silence. Harry took another look at the smashed frame before standing up, Ginny still in the middle; the center of the picture.

* * *

**A/N**: I do know where this stories going, I just hope I can write it out fine :) I have a great side...well maybe a little more then _side_ story for Hr/R...will just see where this goes. I hope to get out the 4th chapter out very soon. 


	4. What Do They Care?

**A/N: **I finished Chapter 4 _way_ ahead of schedule.Things might not come out so quickly when school's back in session, which starts again Jan. 3, 2005. I guess I was just really stuck today o.O

* * *

**Chapter 4: What Do They Care?**

"Um, Ron, Harry...it's time for dinner, Ginny and I are going," Hermione told them quietly. She didn't want to get Harry upset again. Ron nodded and replied,  
"Yeah...Hermione, we'll be right there." Hermione smiled and rushed back down the steps.  
"Are you comming?" Ron asked as he was getting up. Harry sighed.  
"Yeah, alright," Harry said with a little bit of a whiny tone. He and Ron quickly dashed down the stairs and through the empty common room. As they were walking down the corridors to get to the dining hall, Ron and Harry noticed that every wall was covered in blue papers. Certainly, this wasn't allowed, and had an authority seen it yet it would've been removed immediately. Obviously, these had to be posted within the last half hour at the latest. Harry and Ron decided to stop and take down a flyer.  
"'Please recognize the importance of student dances...bring back a Yule Ball and a May Dance'? Who wrote this rubbish?" Ron demanded, reading the flyer out loud. "Oh, how remarkably conveinient! It even has...fifty lines for us to sign the petition. Ooh, let me just get out a pen!" he added sarcastically. Harry laughed at the flyer as he stuck it back on the wall.  
"Oh, Ron, here...'Yours Truly, Lavander & Parvati'. The teachers will never go for this," Harry pointed out. Still chuckling at the flyers, they hadn't another worry as they continued to the dining hall.

Everyone had already begun eating when Harry and Ron sat next to an empty seat Hermione had saved. Of course, Ron sat in the middle deliberately to be next to Hermione.  
"Did you talk to Harry?" Hermione asked him. Ron nodded.  
"Uh..yeah, it's just new to him that's all," he explained simply. Hermione nodded.  
"I thought Katherine would be a perfect first choice," Hermione commented shaking her head dissapointedly. Ron shrugged.  
"We pushed him too hard," Ron said.  
"_We_?" Hermione laughed. "This was _your_ brilliant plan in the first place!" Ron huffed as he continued to wolf down his food. Harry leaned over the table so he could see both Hermione and Ron's faces.  
"It's not like I can't hear you," he said before leaning back and continuing to eat like nothing happened. Now Hermione leaned forward to speak to Harry.  
"We're really sorry, Harry. Ron should've respected your wishes," Hermione said. When Ron eyed her angrily, she continued, "and we shouldn't have set you up with out consulting you first." Harry nodded and waved off her apology.  
"Yeah, it's alright...I know you all were just trying to help," Harry replied, smiling. Ron and Hermione smiled back in gratefulness for Harry's forgiveness. Harry took a deep breath, and asked, "Do you think I'd be mad to see if Ginny could fix me up again with Katherine? I feel bad I didn't even give her a chance."  
"Yes--" - Hermione slapped Ron on the shoulder with a huff - "--erm, I mean, no of course not..." Ron replied in a mumble. Harry shrugged.  
"It's just something to think about," he muttered. The conversation shifted to normal topics such as the weather and Chocolate Frog cards, until Ron and Hermione got into a fight about whether it could snow in the spring.  
"Maybe, just maybe, there's a spell out there for changing the weather! Then that's _highly_ probable!" Ron cried.  
"No, no, no! You can't mess with nature! And besides, that's not even real weather - you've got it all wrong!" Hermione shouted.  
"Yes, if there's a spell for making it _snow_ then it's real snow," Ron insisted.  
"Not! It'd be _snowing_ unnaturally, therefore - FAKE SNOW!" Hermione insisted right back. "Fine, don't believe me? Why don't you just stand outside forever and ever and wait till it snows in spring."  
"Maybe I will," Ron said, meant to somewhat offend Hermione but he realized he just seemed like an idiot. "There's a Hogsmeade weekend this week, why don't you go with me and we'll just see." Hermione smiled, knowing what was really going on, but decided to still act upset.  
"Fine, we'll just see who's right," she said inferiorly. The two didn't have another argument or real conversation for the rest of dinner but when Harry asked if Ron would be studying with him on Saturday for those stupid Potions finals for the semester, he replied quietly,  
"Sorry, Harry...I have a date." Not even discreet Hermione, who never kissed Ron in public except on the cheek, couldn't hide grabbing his hand and swinging it back and forth under the table.  
Just before all the houses were excused to return to their common room and dormitories, Dumbledore announced,  
"It has come to our attention the numerous flyers posted around the school. They have been removed, but their topic - a yearly dance - will be considered if enough interest is shown. You may now return to your house common rooms." Ron and Harry groaned, but their whines were drowned out by the rushing and clammoring of students to get out of the dining hall. Lavander and Parvati soaked up some of the attention of having been the posters and were smiling and chatting with anyone asking about them - including more then half the school telling them what a 'fantastic idea' it was.  
"Hermione! Wouldn't this be fun - another dance?" Ginny asked, emerging from the crowd and comming right next to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "You would go - right, _Dean_?" Hermione, Ron, and Harry all whipped around to see Dean Thomas, who had gone unnoticed by following Ginny up to the three.  
"What are you doing with _him_?" Ron demanded of Ginny. Ginny scoffed.  
"What do you think?" Ginny snapped.  
"I think he has five seconds to get away from -- oh, do whatever you want, Ginny," Ron ended up grumbling. Hermione thought Ron being protective of his sister was sweet; Ginny thought otherwise. It frankly didn't matter to Harry either way, although he could pick a side if he had any siblings or what he'd consider family for that matter.

In the common room, Ron and Seamus were playing chess, Hermione was studying, and Ginny was doodling in her notebook, Dean sitting nearby almost asleep in his armchair. Everyone else had gone to bed or just up to the dormitory. Except for Harry, that is, who was sitting at a table tapping his fingers against the wood. Hermione was studying at that table, and shot him an annoyed glare when she barked,  
"Would you _stop_?"  
"Sorry, it's just...Dean and Ginny are bothering me..look at 'em!" Harry whispered. Hermione scrunched up her face like she had no comprehension of what he was saying. She slowly turned around and looked at Ginny and Dean, who were sitting quietly doing whatever they had to do. They weren't even speaking. She just as slowly turned back to Harry and gave him such a look suggesting he was insane.  
"Are you _mental_?" she asked. "They're not even doing anything. She's writing, and he's almost out cold." Harry shrugged.  
"You know, you spend way too much time with Ron," he muttered. He got up from his seat and snuck up behind Ginny as she was scribbling. He tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped and almost fell off of her seat. She looked behind her at Harry, and then, realizing her notebook was flat open, slammed it shut before Harry would even look at it. Ginny took a deep breath and clutched her hand to her chest.  
"You scared me," she whispered harshly. Then in a normal-tone voice, asked, "What is it?"  
"I wonder if you could talk to Katherine for me. I'd love to ask her out, and give us another chance," Harry explained, embellishing his intentions a bit. Suddenly, Dean made some kind of noise and shook himself awake.  
"Wha - what? Oh..g'night. Ginny, good night," Dean said with a smile. Ginny smiled back and watched him walk away until he was out of sight up the stairs. Harry was irritated with Ginny at that moment. He didn't like that she was ignoring him.  
"So, what?" she asked.  
"What I just asked you," Harry told her, knowing that she probably could remember if she really wanted to. Ginny nodded. She hesitated before saying,  
"Yes, of course..yeah, I'll talk to Katherine tomorrow," Ginny replied. She smiled and added, "It looks we'll all have dates for this comming Hogsmeade weekend." She yawned and clutched her notebook closely as she disappeared up the steps to the girls' dormitory. Harry decided he best be off to bed as well.

"_Women_," Ron muttered angrily as he rushed down the steps from the boys' dormitory. Harry was already sitting in an armchair waiting for Ron and Hermione so that they'd all walk down to breakfast.  
"What now?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head.  
"She just decided to reject _another_ coat," Ron complained. "A _coat_."  
"What are her coats doing in _our_ dormitory?" Harry asked slyly. Ron scoffed.  
"Harry, would you please? It happened this way..Ginny comes in asking where Dean is because she can't find him. Then, he's there with Seamus, so she starts yelling at him to hurry up and get ready. Hermione's down here, yelling for Ginny," Ron explained. "Ginny yells back, 'Oh, Hermione! I'm up here!'" - Harry couldn't help laughing at Ron's Ginny imitation - "Hermione has a bundle of coats on her arm and she can't figure out which one is the most practical to go over the amount of clothes she already has on, and to keep her warm!" Harry laughed at poor Ron's troubles. Ron huffed and ended the story, "Now, Ginny's telling her the pink coat goes with her shoes but Hermione is insisting it's not warming enough. Now they're up in our dormitory, fighting about what _Hermione should be wearing now_."  
"You sure have you're hands full, don't you Ron?" Harry said mockingly. Ron glared at him as he sat at the armchair across from him.  
"Hermione, the brown coat with the furry fringe is obviously the best choice," Ginny was explaining to Hermione as they hopped down the steps from the boys' dormitory.  
"I suppose...the fur should keep me warm enough," Hermione replied, turning around to smile at Ginny. They were at the bottom of the steps by now and standing next to where Ron and Harry were sitting.  
"Are you _done_?" Ron whined. Hermione pat him on the back.  
"Yes, are you two?" Ginny said, eyeing what the two seventeen-year-old boys were wearing. A long sleeve shirt on each of them and jeans - almost identical, while Hermione and Ginny looked completely different. The boys shrugged and were the first to start to leave for the dining hall, and the girls followed closely behind.

After breakfast, they headed to Hogsmeade. Katherine had agreed to go with Harry when Ginny had asked. She looked prettier than when she first met her. Her hair wasn't tied back but let low past her shoulders. She wore a floral blouse over her jeans and under her brown leather jacket. It wasn't like she wasn't interesting, either. She could talk about every subject and have something to say - Quidditch, Herbology, the Potion finals...anything Harry wanted to say, Katherine enjoyed talking about it as well. Harry actually enjoyed himself that day.  
After spending a while in Zonko's Joke Shop and when Harry didn't even mind, at least not too much at least, when Katherine wanted to shop in Gladrags Wizardwear, they headed over to The Three Broomsticks. As they were drinking their butterbeers and chatting in the crowded pub, Harry spotted Ron and Hermione. Because they were laughing and holding hands, they seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. Hermione caught Harry's eye and pointed to him. Ron saw him too, and they both smiled and waved. Harry smiled back, but he did not wave as not to distract his...date.  
"I had to say, I was worried about comming," Katherine admitted.  
"Yeah, me too," Harry confessed.  
"I don't know about you, but I really did have a great time today. This was fun," Katherine said, smiling. Harry smiled and nodded his head. It wasn't just a polite smile, but a genuine smile. Harry hesitated on asking Katherine out for another time, and as he was going to Ginny and Dean walked in - holding hands. Harry didn't know why this bothered him even a little bit.  
"Erm..I'm going to get another butterbeer, do you want one?" Harry asked, turning back to Katherine. Katherine shook her head.  
"No, let me get them. You paid for them," Katherine said as she got up.  
"Oh, thanks...hey? What, I did?! I thought you paid!" Harry called but Katherine had already reached the front of the pub. Dean and Ginny had sat down at an empty table in the corner. Dean got up to head to the front. He spotted Harry and gave him a quick wave before continuing. Harry didn't even turn to look at Ginny. Katherine had returned with their butterbeers.  
"Here you go," Katherine said cheerfully as she slid a mug in front of Harry. She took a sip of her hot, foamy butterbeer. Katherine kept looking at Harry in a way she hadn't before that moment.  
"What?" he finally asked, nervous again. Katherine looked away and set down her mug.  
"Nothing," she said quickly. She tossed her long, brunette hair back over her shoulder. "After we finish our drinks, do you want to go to Honeydukes?" Harry nodded. He looked over to Dean and Ginny, sitting quietly and talking, but they were sitting awfully close. Harry didn't hear Katherine's calling of his name until she shook his shoulder.  
"Harry, I thought I lost you," Katherine said with a laugh. Harry shook himself to get Ginny out of his head...what was she doing in his thoughts anyway?


	5. Wired

**

Chapter 5: Wired

**

"Just another drink," Harry kept mumbling every time he'd finish a mug. Even through a more butterbeer-influenced state, he could sense Katherine's growing annoyance with him. Finally, she became fed up.   
"Look, Harry, there's no more money left for the drinks," she snapped. "There's nothing left to buy any sweets with either. All we have left to do is walk around outside or wait until it's time to head back to Hogwarts."   
"What is _Dean_ doing with Ginny?" Harry said, his words slurring together a bit. Katherine eyed him and shrugged impatiently.   
"I don't know...they could be on a date," Katherine said boredly. Harry laughed.   
"Ha!" he shouted, "you're right!" He slammed down his mug and waved it to Katherine. "She is! And you-a know what? I do care. I mean, I don't care." He laughed again and tipped backwards in his seat, almost sliding down to the floors. "'Course I wouldn't care. She's _Ginny_. Dean and Ginny. Hey, I'll get to be in their wedding." Katherine, who hadn't had a single butterbeer since Harry gone on about different keys ("_Amazing_! One little jagged metal can open up _that_ door, but not _that_ one!"), looked around the room for something to interest her while she was waiting for Harry to shut up and leave the table.   
"I don't mean to _rush_ you or anything, Harry," Katherine said somewhat sarcastically, "but it's high time we left." Harry nodded and jumped up. He didn't even wait for Katherine before stumbling towards the door.   
"Wait up, Harry!" a voice called behind him. Harry spun around. It took him a minute to focus and realize it was Ron, Hermione trailing close behind him. He grabbed Katherine by the shoulder and pulled her over so that she was standing close by his side. Ginny, seeing this, sat up and brushed off her skirt and led Dean to the door.   
"Ron!" he shouted. "And his girlfriend!" Ron and Hermione looked at each other briefly before throwing Harry a creeped expression.  
"Harry?" Hermione asked, as if she had been meeting him after years past.   
"How many butterbeers did you _have_?" Ron asked, walking up to his friend and patting him on the back. It must've taken a many several butterbeers to drive Harry into this state. All of them could take a butterbeer - it was a light drink.  
"Two!" Harry said triumphantly, holding up three fingers. Katherine couldn't stifle a laugh. She held up Harry's shoulder so he wasn't tipping over as he was.  
"Times ten, more like?" Katherine said, not able to hide the slight bitterness in her voice. Hermione looked to Ron and motioned to Harry. Ron got the hint and began to swing Harry's arm over his shoulder so he could walk him back to the gathering line back to Hogwarts. Katherine shook her head.   
"No, no, enjoy what's left of your date," Katherine insisted. She did as Ron was beginning to do and led Harry out the door, but he pulled away.   
"I can walk my own damn self," he growled. He pulled a window shade instead of the doorknob and walked into the wall. Ginny appeared by Ron's side, standing closely to Harry, Katherine, and the door. Her fingers were held lightly by Dean Thomas's.   
"Ron, help!" he cried. "The door! It's - "  
"Right here?" Katherine finished, grabbing his hand and putting it on the doorknob. Harry smiled a crooked smile at her.  
"She's incredibly pretty," he said. No one had any clue who Harry was talking about or to you.   
"Okay, here we go," she said hurriedly and swung open the door. Even though she knew as well as anyone else in the pub he was tipsy, Katherine blushed immensely at the drunken compliment. She didn't really know if it was meant for her and wanted them to leave quickly.  
"No rush," said a voice behind him sarcastically. It was Dean. Apparently, he and Ginny were waiting for them the group to go out the door.  
"Back off, Dean!" Harry barked, swirling around. Dean's hand was on Ginny's shoulder and Ginny was leaning towards him.  
"Calm down, you drunk," Dean said. It was a joke. Hermione, Ron, Katherine, and Ginny all realized this. Harry took it as an insult and lunged at him.  
"No!" shrieked Ginny pulling Dean back.  
"I was kidding, Harry. Sorry," Dean apologized. Ginny scowled.   
"Don't _apologize_," she demanded. "You didn't do anything _wrong_. It's Harry who can't handle a few drinks." She pushed between Harry and Katherine angrily as Dean followed her. Harry bowed his head and did his best not to trip all over himself as he walked away from the group. Katherine was about to go after him, still insisting Ron and Hermione stay behind, but Ron pulled her back. She looked at him suspiciously, and he shook his head as a reply.   
"Hermione, you should stay. I think this is something I should talk to Harry about, alone," Ron said, turning to Hermione. She nodded and smiled. Knowing she wouldn't see him until they were back in the common room at school, she lightly touched his arm and kissed him warmly on the cheek. Ron was dazed for a moment and almost forget his mission as he touched the spot on his cheek. Remembering, he raced after Harry; he was stumbling down the wrong direction.  
"We need to talk," Ron said firmly, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the right road.   
"Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked with a loud, bubbly chuckle. Ron quickly let go of his shoulder causing Harry to fall to the ground. "You pushed me!" Harry accused. "Wait, no you didn't. That was me..."  
"Harry," Ron ordered sternly, "there is something wrong with you. You've become a mess lately." Harry stayed limply in the slushy snow. He sighed and hiccuped.   
"I had like," Harry began, flicking his fingers up and down as if counting on them, "this many - " shoving a changing number of fingers up on his hand in Ron's face " - drinks. Katherine just kept pushing them in front of me. I swear, that girl is _gorgeous_ but she is not so bright."   
"No, she didn't," Ron said slowly. "You kept asking for them. You are ruining your chances with Katherine!"  
"I know," said Harry, whining slightly. Ron smiled.   
"And I know why," Ron said, now on his knees next to his best friend. "Ginny." Harry jerked his head up and stared at Ron.   
"What?" he grumbled.  
"You were too preoccupied with Ginny to notice how many drinks you were gulping," pointed Ron. Harry was about to shout something back when Hermione trudged through the slush, the melting result of snow going past her ankles.  
"Ron, Harry, can we go with the rest of the group?" asked Hermione politely. She seemed almost afraid of Harry at this point. Harry jumped off the ground. Suddenly, he realized a head rush coming on and stood there with his hand clamped to his forehead. Ron would take none of this and kept pushing Harry in front of him. Eventually, though, Hermione and he had to carry him along with the line.

Harry awoke the next morning with a splitting headache. He could not blink without intense pain.  
"Teach me about my butterbeer tolerence," grumbled Harry to himself. Even that was too loud. His thinking was too loud. Harry sat up and forced himself out of bed. He opened his eyes but could not see straight. Everything around him began to spin and darken until his backside began to hurt with a thud noise. After a few painful blinks, he realized he must've fallen to the ground as he stood up so fast. He looked towards the window to check what time of the day it must've been, but the bit of light peaking above him he could not take. He remained on the ground until he regained the strength to latch on to the bedside table and push himself up.  
"Morning, Harry!" yelled a shrill voice. The voice shot through his ears and crashed his brain, blinding his eyes with such pain rising against his forehead. He couldn't even bare to make a sound signaling the voice to be quiet. "Nice night?" whoever it was continued to shout. Harry had to close his eyes to keep the hangover of several butterbeers in check, but opened slightly enough to realize the shouting was coming from Hermione.   
"Hermione...I don't need a lecture," he mumbled. "I need sleep..."   
"I know you do," she continued, showing no mercy in her tone of voice, "but we need to get a few things straight." Harry sighed a long sigh. He might as well get Hermione's "talk" over with before she began to follow him around impatiently all day, making sure he finished his homework, ate right, and didn't touch a single drink. This, in the long run, was the safest way out.   
"Go on with it," Harry ordered, shutting his eyes tight and laying back down on the bed.   
"You need to be a little more responsible when your out. Especially with a girl, and by a girl I don't just mean me. Katherine! She had to carry you out the door, you know that?"   
"Fantastic...what else did I do yesterday?"  
"You made a complete fool out of yourself. You were loud and annoying. Not so much different then Ron most of the time," Hermione continued with a little joke. She'd meant to be serious but the little smile on her face revealed her heart's current inner thoughts.  
"Now I'm back where I started with an incredible headache," Harry whined.  
"Can we talk about how _drunk_ you were?" Hermione demanded.  
"Didn't we just?" Harry managed to snap back. Hermione put a friendly hand on Harry's shoulder.   
"No, Harry," she said sternly, "_why_ you were drinking your weight in butterbeers." Harry breathed a heavy sigh and shook his head. Both of these actions sharpened the headache.  
"I'm not going to talk about it," Harry muttered angrily and managed to get away from Hermione and layback down in the bed. Hermione sighed and flung her arms down.   
"Fine, you sleep now," she mumbled. "But we're really worried about you." With that, Harry heard her footsteps down the staircase. Harry shook her voice off and shut his eyes, determined to go back to sleep.  
Tired as he was, Harry had gotten all the sleep he was going to get. Harry cursed to the room and forced himself up. He changed into some clothes lying by his bed and walked slowly down to the common room.  
No one was down there except for Hermione, who was quietly studying by the fire. He couldn't quite tell, but it looked as if she were asleep. Harry snickered quietly to himself and continued to walk down. He was grateful for the silence of the room.   
On a table, Harry noticed a stack of books. They looked fairly old. _Probably Ron's textbooks,_ Harry dismissed it. But the books didn't seem to be school books. He could hear a heavier breathing pattern from Hermione, which led Harry to believe she really was napping. Quietly and slowly, he walked over to the books. He kneeled to the ground and ran his fingers over the spines as he read them. However, all the spines were worn beyond legibility, and Harry couldn't think of a Restoration or Bookbinding Charm. The covers were of plain colors. He knew for sure that these were not school textbooks. Curiosity overcame Harry as he grabbed for the top books - a pale pink book with what would've been white cover text. He opened to a page that seemed to be deliberately dog-eared and began to read it to himself.

_The Love Serum is a very common and ineffective love potion, but it has the least side effects. It is also the least complicated to make. Other potions, such as the Cloud Nine Serum p. 204 or the Romance Potion p. 198 can cause the consumer to go into a deep depression or state of longing. Some even known to have memory loss. The Love Serum is a light serum for the consumer to become more romantically willing. _

_**THE LOVE SERUM**  
Cocoa beans or one bar of pure bitter chocolate   
4 hairs of The Romantic Interest   
1 part moonshine powder Make sure coooa beans or chocolate have melted completely in the cauldron. Moonshine powder to be blended next. Finish by mixing in moonshine powder. Let boil 3-4 hours. _

It was all Harry was able to read before being startled by the thud of feet being pounded suddenly against the ground. Harry's headache had been relaxed for a while, but the sudden thud brought another shooting pain.  
"Ha-Harry," Hermione said, forcing herself to sound awake. "Don't touch that..." her voice trailing off a bit by the obvious grogginess in her voice.   
"Nice, nap, Hermione?" Harry teased. Hermione was the one who enjoyed studying - it was quite ironic for her to be the one to be face down in the book, not unlike Ron or him. Hermione ignored his comment.   
"Those are Ginny's - well, Parvati's - books. Don't touch," she ordered. Sleepiness had immediately drained from her voice. Harry couldn't hide his curiosity.   
"What's Ginny doing with Love Potion books?" Harry asked, and even though he hadn't meant it to come out that way, angrily. Hermione shrugged. She didn't look uninterested; in fact, the expression on her face showed her sudden interest as if she'd had no idea. She just seemed to been put out as the guard over these books.  
"I bet Ginny's just having some fun...you know 'love potions' are just so hoaxy," Hermione said, laughing it off. "Not even the strongest magic will force anyone's free will like that."   
"Legally, of course," Harry said darkly. Hermione nodded quickly and jumped over to the books, snatching them from Harry as he was still talking to her.  
"Hey!" Harry said, startled. Hermione smirked.   
"What, they're not yours? What do you want Love Potion books for, anyway?" she said teasingly. Harry shuffled his feets and crossed his arms.   
"No, no...you're right. I don't care," Harry said. Hermione was unconvinced, but let it go.   
"Ginny's in the library," she pointed out quietly. Harry just looked at her blankly. His face was unreadable most of the time.  
"So?" he asked. Hermione shrugged.   
"Finish your homework?" she asked, running out of things to say. Harry nodded.   
"Yes, Hermione," he replied boredly. Hermione looked away awkwardly. Harry could tell there was something else she was hiding from him.   
"Well, you know, I've finished all my homework," Hermione said, still facing away from him. Harry rolled his eyes, which ached a little bit. What else was new? "I think I'll just do some random studying." Clutching the books closer to her, she swung her messenger bag over her shoulder with her free hand and rushed out.

Hermione breathed an almost sigh of relief when she reached the library and Ginny was there, parchment strewn across the table, an inkbottle clutched in one hand, a quill in the other.  
"Ginny," Hermione whispered, and with a _thump_ dropped the books on the table. "These are your's, right?" Ginny looked up from her essay and pushed her things aside.  
"No," she whispered a reply, shaking her head. She grabbed a book off of the top, the pale pink one, and skimmed through it. Eyes wide, she snapped the book to her chest, hugging it tightly. "They're Parvati's. She was going to give them away, I just thought I might take a peek." Hermione eyed the book but decided it was best not to straight out ask for it.   
"Uh huh," she breathed, nodding. "So Parvati's in on the Spring Ball idea, right?" Hermione wasn't really that interested, even though she imagined herself in pretty robes and her hair done up specially, and for her to dance in the center of the floor, Ron's hands on her waist, her hands on his shoulders...something from a faerie tale. Hermione blushed at her own thoughts and pushed the idea away for the purpose of not drifting too far away from reality.   
"Yeah," Ginny said brightly. "I think that would be so much fun! Heaven knows I'd never fit into those robes from the Yule Ball though...I might even be forced into wearing _Ron's_ old dress robes. Mum probably wouldn't let me get new ones." Ginny and Hermione shared a giggle. Hermione eyed Ginny's thin frame for a moment in envy. Hermione thought that she, herself was probably the one who's robes would fit tighter then when she was 14.  
"Would you go with Dean?" Hermione asked playfully. Ginny blushed.   
"I suppose...well, yes, if he asked I would," she replied with a small smile.   
"Oh, Ron wouldn't ever agree to go," Hermione said with a sad sigh. Ginny shrugged.   
"If you wanted to, he would put on more frilly robes in a heartbeat," Ginny insisted. It was her turn to breathe a sigh of quiet jealousy. Dean and her were definitely not like that, no matter what she wanted others to think. He was a great guy and all, of course...cute, funny, and...not an idiot. He liked her and enjoyed going out with her. He was the one who suggested they get back together. In her fifth year, they'd been somewhat of a couple. But there _was_ a reason they split up. Ginny couldn't quite remember what that was. He was sweet and complimented her, whether it be what she was wearing or her marks in Potions. _Not terrible at kissing either,_ Ginny reasoned with herself. But she also thought that maybe she just was with him because it was conveinient and nice to have someone like him there...always there. She looked at Hermione. There was something anxious about her fingers tapping against the table and her feet swinging under the seat. Was there something she didn't know?   
"Well, if that time comes," Hermione said quietly. Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Well, Quidditch game next week...Gryffindors and Slytherins. Are you on the team, or didn't you resign last semester?" Ginny shook her head.   
"There's something amazingly rushy about Quidditch that I love, but I'm not as cut out this year I suppose," Ginny said. "I haven't played at all this year." Hermione nodded.   
"I guess we should let Harry know it's not a good idea to 'Drink and Fly,'" Hermione remarked. Ginny leaned forward in her seat and laughed at the reference to the day before.   
"Safe to say Katherine won't be on the sidelines for him," she said haughtily. Hermione sat up quickly and attentively. She shifted a little so she was up straight and facing Ginny directly. Ginny looked at her suspiciously. "What? You awake?"   
"Oh, fine," she said smiling an even more curious smile. There was definitely something else about Hermione that Ginny couldn't put her finger on. Did she know something? "Shame about Katherine though," Hermione continued concerningly. Ginny nodded understandingly. Hermione was getting frusterated again, and Ginny could tell. Finally, she blurted, "You seem awfully excited that Harry's _available_." Ginny stared at Hermione, in shock.   
"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Ginny snapped. Hermione shrugged, blushing.  
"It's just that...there's something Ron and I notice about him...well, you, too, but mostly Harry - " Hermione tried to explain, but Ginny wouldn't have it.  
"What _about_ me? Harry has issues, but who can blame him? We all saw what he had to go through. He needs someone who can understand that, and if his two best friends can't see that, then - " Ginny was almost shouting now. There weren't many people in the library either, but the ones who were most likely were listening to Ginny. Hermione grabbed Ginny on the shoulder and pat her gently.   
"I know, I know," she said in an effort to calm Ginny down. Ginny sighed. Hermione cleared her throat and said, "It's just that...we want to help him. And we don't know how. It's clearly not just his past that has him distracted." Ginny raised one eyebrow.   
"What are you getting at?" she asked curiously. Hermione took her hand off of Ginny's shoulder and grasped her hands together, resting them on the table.   
"It's just that," she continued. "Harry won't let himself be _happy_." Ginny guffawed.   
"That makes no sense," Ginny grumbled. Hermione nodded again.   
"Of course it doesn't," Hermione said. Ginny rolled her eyes.   
"What I mean is, you're wrong." Hermione crossed her arms.   
"_Oh_?" she challenged, "then what do _you_ think?" Ginny sat there silently for a moment, then Hermione said, "Thought so," triumphantly.  
"But Harry deserves to be happy!" Ginny whined, as if they were talking about her and not Harry. Hermione slammed her hands on the table, palms upward.   
"Of course he does!" she yelled, almost laughing. "_Why_ do you think we're trying to help him?" Ginny nodded. She rest her arms on the table in a crossed way and lay her head down in them.   
"I wish I could make him happy," she said, her voice muffled.   
"What?" Hermione asked, surprised. Ginny jerked her head up and looked at Hermione, blushing.   
"I just mean," she stumbled, "that I wish Harry could enjoy himself." Hermione bit her lip in order to keep her from saying something else stupid. She looked down at the table. As she did, she realized that Ginny and flung the book she'd been clutching across the table, close to Hermione, in the midst of their brief argument. Ginny rest her head back on the table. Hermione thought quickly, as she was curious about the contents of the book and why Ginny wanted them. Casually, she picked up the book. She slid her chair back and rest the book on her lap and began flipping through the pages. Ginny snapped her head towards Hermione again and quickly grabbed the other edge of the table and pulled herself up.  
"Give me that!" Ginny demanded shrilly and lunged for the book. Hermione couldn't hold back a giggle that time as she slid her chair farther back. Ginny flopped over the table and landed in front of Hermione. When she got up, she pushed back her messed hair and threw Hermione a somewhat murderous glare.   
"No, let me take a look," Hermione insisted. She stood up from her seat and began walking backwards as she continued to flip through the pages. Ginny kept her glare on Hermione and kept taking slow steps towards her. "Oh, the Romance Potion? Love Serum? Oh...the...wow, Ginny aren't you a little young for this potion..." Ginny's face was scarlet now, from anger or embarassment, and Hermione felt really guilty for teasing her younger friend. She decided to take one last cheap shot to get the information she'd been hunting for. "Things between you and Dean a little cold? Or are you just looking for a little something new?"  
That was it. The breaking point for Ginny was right there. She couldn't think of what to do next. Should she draw her wand? Hit her? What? Before she was able to strike her best friend, she dropped everything. And left.

"Ginny, slow down," Ginny's brother called after her as she stormed down the corridors. She whipped around, her ponytail swishing with her.  
"Yeah," she replied shortly. Ron smiled at her. This was a little strange to Ginny, seeing as her brother rarely smiled like that at her unless he was making a joke with her or at her. That was the kind of smile he saved for Harry or sometimes Hermione.  
"I need to talk to you," he said almost in a whisper. He pushed back his fiery hair from his face and slowly walked towards her.  
"About what?" she asked, trying to sound disinterested even though she was really curious. Ron's smile got wider and a little twinkle shown in his eyes. Ginny didn't care about hiding her curiosity any longer and rushed after her older brother like a little rabbit chases a carrot.   
"Now, you have to remember not to tell _anybody_," Ron warned. "Harry doesn't know, _Hermione_ does _not_ know - no one knows, Ginny." Ginny nodded eagerly. Ron breathed nervously and close his eyes tightly for a second. "Now, I haven't done _anything_ yet. I just bought this on impulse. You have to promise me not to make a big deal out of this." Ginny nodded and then eyed the pocket of his robes, which Ron's hand was in, slyly.   
"C'mon, out with it then," she demanded encouragingly. Ron sighed and took out something from his pocket and showed it to Ginny. Ginny shrieked and clamped her hand to her mouth.  
"Ginny, _shut up_ - "   
"Ron!" Ginny gasped in a loud whisper. "That - that's a _ring_!"


	6. The Ring and the Redhead

**

Chapter 6: The Ring and the Redhead

**

"Ron!" Ginny gasped even more excitedly, "What the hell are you doing with a ring? Oh my - it's gorgeous - " Ron stuffed the little black box back in the pocket of his Gryffindor robes. He grabbed Ginny around the waist and covered her mouth with his hand as if he were kidnapping her. All you could hear were her muffled screams. Finally, she bit him.  
"Ow!" Ron yelped, "Blimey, Ginny! Where'd you learn to bite like that?!" Ginny looked at him disgustedly.  
"What did you do that for?" Ginny demanded, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.  
"I told you to shut up," Ron said, back in whisper.  
"Where did you get that? Where did you find the _money_ to get that? _When_ did you get that? Oh my God, Ron - " Ginny couldn't hold in her flood of questions any longer.  
"And clearly I go unnoticed," Ron muttered to himself. Ginny was almost shaking with excitement.  
"Did you get that for _Hermione_?" she asked, whispering too. Ron rolled his eyes.  
"No, Ginny. It's really my color, don't you think?" he said sarcastically in a high voice. Ginny had to bite her lip from becoming out of control again.  
"Are you going to propose or something? Because, I mean, Ron - you're only _seventeen_," Ginny said seriously. Ron looked down to the floor and shuffled his feet. Ginny hit him on the arm lightly.  
"Ouch!" Ron shouted. Ginny guffawed.  
"Are you kidding me?" she laughed. "I barely _touched_ you!" Ron chuffed. "So," Ginny continued, "Answer me!" They stared at each other in silence for a moment until Ron finally said,  
"As you were being stupid with Dean - " Ginny swatted him on the back of the head and muttered _What the hell are you talking about?_ under her breath " - and Harry was drinking himself ridiculous, Hermione went to get a round of butterbeers for us. This bloke was there," Ron explained. When he stopped there, Ginny waved her hand to signal him to continue. With a sigh, he started again, "He was wearing these blue cloaks and had a hood over his face. He said to me; 'That's a pretty lady you got there. If you ever think about sealing the deal - you know, legally - just take this little one off my hands.' And then he hands me this stupid little box. I had no clue what the hell he was talking about, but when I looked inside - there was this ring." Ginny let out a long sigh at the gold band. There was a little sphere on top that resembled a crystal ball. Flakes of white danced in the sphere.  
"It's amazing," Ginny breathed. "So are you going to...er, 'seal the deal'?" she asked excitedly. Ron bit his lip nervously. Ginny stared at him, wide-eyed, and jumped up and down. Ron pushed her out of his way and started walking down the hall. Ginny followed by his side.  
"I don't know yet," he finally confessed in a huffy way. Ginny frowned, but nodded understandingly. She jumped in front of him, forcing him to halt and almost topple over. She grabbed his chin.  
"Aw, little Ronnie's growing up! I'm so proud," she said teasingly and shook his face back and forth. Ron bit her hand this time. She made a yelping sound and just glared at him briefly.  
"Where were you off to in such a rush?" Ron asked, refering to why Ginny had been storming back to the Gryffindor common room. Ginny shrugged.  
"Hermione and I just got in a little argument," Ginny said simply.  
"Oh?" he said, raising an eyebrow, "what about?" Ginny couldn't look him in the eye.  
"Nothing," she mumbled, suddenly realizing that this would just peak his interest. _Should've lied_, she thought to herself. To her surprise, Ron just shrugged.  
"Oh, well, was Hermione in a bad mood?" he asked. Ginny looked at him hesitantly for a moment, then shook her head.  
"Are you sure you're ready to get married?" Ginny asked, sticking close to Ron again. Ron pushed her aside again.  
"_Ginny!_" he snapped. Ginny ignored him.  
"There is _alot_ to think about. Where would you get married? Where would you live? What would you tell mom and dad - oh, mom and dad!" Ginny continued to bombard him with questions. She caught a murderous glint in his eye as he grabbed her shoulder.  
"Ginny," he said sternly, "you _promised_." Ginny sighed and nodded.  
"I need to get back to the common room," Ginny said, even though there was no special purpose for her there.  
"I'll walk you," Ron offered. Ginny smiled to herself. _This is my big brother?_ she thought. She almost laughed out loud at how much Ron had changed since he'd been with Hermione. So much more considerate, his grades had remarkably improved, and he's come to respect both Hermione _and_ Ginny much, much more. Hermione brought out all the best qualities in him. Hermione had learned to loosen up. Though her grades had remained top, her formerly strict study schedule had slowed down, allowing her to _relax_. It seemed she didn't know the definition of that word before Ron.

Hermione still held the open book in her hands even after minutes had passed since Ginny had left the library. She sighed sadly and shut the book slowly, clutching it over her chest with her arms crossed over the cover. Walking slowly back to the table, she sat down without much motion. She felt absolutely horrible for how she'd just treated one of her best friends. It wasn't worth hurting her just to find out how she felt...  
But she'd just been trying to help. Ginny was making a big mistake. Dean over Harry? Oh, she was so sure.  
Although she might be making a mistake, shouldn't Hermione let her make it? _It's not my place to tell her what to do,_ Hermione reasoned with herself. _Everything happens for a reason, after all._ Setting the book down on the table slowly, she looked outside. It was already dark out. She slipped the books into her bag, swung her messenger bag back over her shoulder and started for the common room.  
She stopped at the Fat Lady's portrait. Ginny and Ron had just stopped before her.  
"Hey, Ginny," said Hermione as a simple greeting, like nothing happened. Ginny tried to look at her angrily, but burst into a fit of giggles. Ron shot her a glare and pushed her over. Hermione smiled.  
"What?" she asked, amusement in her voice. Ginny bit her lip and blurted out a slurred version of the password to the portrait.  
"Dear, I can't _understand_ you," the woman snapped. Ron rolled his eyes and spit out the password. "No need to speak so curtly," she mumbled as she opened the doorway.  
Hermione reached a table and motioned for Ginny to come over. Ginny started to walk towards her, but Ron snatched her shoulder.  
"Not a _word_," he barked in a whisper. She sighed and jerked away from his grasp.  
"Yu-huh?" she asked in unconvincing irritation as she sat down next to Hermione. Hermione pushed a curl behind her ear and discreetly pulled out the 'love potions' book from her bag. Handing it to Ginny, she apologized,  
"Sorry about the library, I didn't mean to push you."  
"It's alright," Ginny dismissed it. She took the book from Hermione and held it in her lap. "I overreacted. Whatever. I need to finish off some homework." She raced up to her dormitory without another word, only waving off to Ron. Hermione sighed helplessly, knowing that apologizing was the only thing she could do. Ron smiled at Hermione from across the room. He looked around the common room. No one. _Must be close to dinner time,_ he thought to himself. He smiled at this thought and got lost in his imaginations about dinner for a second, then snapped his attention back to his girlfriend.  
"Hermione!" he shouted. Hermione blinked, as if coming back from thought, then looked at Ron. She huffed.  
"No need to yell," she scolded, crossing her arms and leaning into the table. Ron hopped over to the seat next to her that Ginny had left. Hermione stared at him and raised an eyebrow.  
"Is there something I should know? Have your brothers been sending you those treats again? You know how you react to those things," Hermione complained. Ron shook his head.  
"We're alone in the common room," he mused. Hermione guffawed.  
"Oh, please, do you ever think about anything else anymore?" she laughed. Ron shrugged.  
"Sure I do," he remarked. "Like...food, and...well, you and food. That's about it."  
"Come on," she said, "that can't be it." Ron thought for a moment, then replied,  
"Well, no, it's not. But do you really think I remember everything I think I've thought about?" Hermione shrugged. Ron laughed quietly and Hermione let herself be hugged by him. She turned around wrapped her arms around his neck and Ron kissed her on the lips. Hermione's heart skipped a beat as all that could be heard by the two was the crackling of the fire. With this being the only other distraction, they jumped apart as footsteps stampeded into the middle of the common room.  
"Lavender!" Ron shouted, saying it as if it was more of an accusation then a comment.  
"Ron, Hermione, I see you haven't started off for the Great Hall!" She beamed as she waved a piece of parchment in their faces. "Would you sign, please?" she begged.  
"What's this for?" asked Ron shortly, still annoyed for her interruption. Lavender looked at them for a moment, then sighed dreamily.  
"You and Hermione...goodness, that's...that's marvelous, right? You'd surely be the most adorable couple at the Spring Ball," she remarked. Ron sneered.  
"Spring Ball?" he snorted. "What, so you've gotten McGonagall and Dumbledore to approve this?" Lavender smiled.  
"Ron, it's just a suggestion. It will get their attention if you sign this." Lavendar shook the parchment in his face again, but Ron pushed it away. Hermione shrugged uncomfortably. She knew it was most likely he'd react this way.  
"It won't hurt to sign it," Hermione pointed out casually. "Just because they'll have one doesn't mean you have to go." Ron gaped.  
"You want to go?" he asked in wonder. Hermione shrugged.  
"I'd go, you know, if they had one. It wouldn't be terribly awful," she said, her voice trailing off. Ron looked to Hermione, then to the parchment Lavender still held firmly in front of him, as if making a decision. With a sigh, he muttered,  
"Where's a quill."  
"Oh, you don't have to if you don't want to," Hermione insisted unconvincingly. Ron shrugged.  
"Makes no difference to me," he said, still scribbling his signature onto the parchment. Lavender thanked Ron and handed the parchment to Hermione. Hermione skimmed the list of names already on the paper before she touched the quill to the parchment. Lavender nodded and stashed her things in a pack before returning to the Great Hall.  
"She's gone now," Ron whispered. He reached for Hermione's hand, but she jumped up from her seat.  
"Dinner, Ron," she pointed out. Ron let out a long sigh.  
"Alright, I'll make an exception this once," he joked with a wink. Hermione guffawed again and hit him playfully on the shoulder as she followed him for dinner.

"Ginny, how did you get here so quickly? You were just in the common room," Ron inquired loudly of his sister as he squeezed into the gap between Neville and Harry.  
"Suppose you wouldn't have noticed me. I tried not to..erm, _interrupt_ you." Ginny smirked. Harry, Seamus, and Dean, who had heard her, chuckled under their breaths. Hermione blushed, but Ron just rolled his eyes. He sat down and motioned for Neville to scoot over in his seat so that Hermione could sit down.  
They were all in the middle of eating when the blur that was Parvati shuttled past Ginny, Dean, and Seamus on the other side of the table.  
"Damnit, Patil!" shrieked Ginny. "I just was able to get my hair right!"  
"Right?" Ron asked. "Is there a wrong for hair?" Ginny glared at him.  
"I styled it," she said quietly.  
"Since when do you 'style' your hair? You, all you. You have to have the perfect robes and most pretty hair," mocked Ron in a girlish voice. "'Oh, did I curl it just right?' 'Does this fit on me?' Women..."  
"_Ahem,_" coughed Hermione. "Are you talking about when I was asking you about that hat the other day in Honeydukes?" Ron's eyes widened a bit and he turned back to his food.  
"Well, I think it looks nice, Ginny," said Dean with a smile. Ginny smiled back. She looked somewhat uncomfortable as she looked to Hermione. Harry slammed his fork down unconsciously at the comment.  
"What is she rushing for anyway?" Seamus asked, his mouth full.  
"Some 'ball' petition," replied Dean. "Wouldn't be horrible if it passed," he added casually, winking at Ginny, who didn't happen to catch it.  
"Yes it would," Harry grumbled. Ginny slammed down her fist, napkin in hand, on the table.  
"Why are you being such a git?" she demanded. He snapped his head up to her.  
"What the - " he began to respond, but Ginny shook her head.  
"I don't understand. It's not our fault anymore that you are in such a bad mood. Wouldn't you just talk to us or something?" she shouted. She opened her grasp on the napkin and slammed her palm to her temples.  
"_Excuse me, Ginny_?" he bellowed, "What is your problem?"  
"If I didn't make myself clear," she explained through gritted teeth, "it's _you_." Everyone else around them at the Gryffindor table quieted down and turned back to their dinner. Harry froze in a locked glare at Ginny. Ginny looked around the group nervously, as if she had said something she hadn't really meant to. Hermione silently drummed her fingers on the table and looked from Harry to Ginny, like she wanted to say something to them. Ron looked uncomfortable in the sudden silence among themselves.  
"So, finals are coming - " Ron began to say casually, but Harry interrupted,  
"How is it that anything I do, affects you?" Ginny crossed her arms. Ron shrugged.  
"Or, we could talk about this too..."  
"Anything you do affects everyone. Especially us, your friends!" Ginny yelled. Harry huffed quietly and looked down at the table.  
People seemed to disappear from around the tables, and Harry and Ginny realized that Hermione and Ron were waiting for them to head back to the common rooms for the night.  
"Goodnight, Harry," snapped Ginny, angrily leaping off of the bench and pushing pass everyone else to get to the head of the crowd.

"What was _that_ all about?" Ron asked Harry in a whisper as the boys were in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory late at night.  
"Dunno," mumbled Harry, pulling back the covers over his bed abruptly. He jumped inside and turned away from Ron. Ron sighed quietly and looked around the room. There wasn't anyone awake, or rather everyone was trying to sleep. Quietly, he got down on his knees and pulled out a little black box from under his bed. Inside was the sphere ring. He smiled at it and took it out.  
_Can't try it on,_ he thought. _What would they think if they were to wake up and see me with a ring on? Besides, it's for Hermione._ He walked up to the window and held it up to the frosted glass. He twirled it around in his palm as it caught glimpses of the moonlight in the reflection of the crystal ball. He heard Harry stir in his bed and quickly stuffed the ring in the box and snapped it shut. _Hermione...is the most beautiful girl I've ever known...not that I'd ever say that in public._ He smoothed his thumb over the black velvet cover that was tearing off the box. When he was sitting on the bed once again, he flicked his two thumbs against each other nervously. _I can't_ marry _Hermione! I'm not even eighteen yet. This is stupid. We've only been a couple for almost six months,_ Ron reasoned with himself. Then he remembered something Harry had told him before.  
"You've been a couple for seven years, you just didn't know it," he'd said. It's not like he could imagine himself with anyone else. Lena had been his only other real girlfriend, and that had been that passed summer. He didn't even really like her all that much. Hermione on the other hand? Viktor Krum was a name he could think of at that moment. A name he used to admire, now it was as good as dirt. Every summer, his siblings would tease him constantly about his crush. Ginny always told him how great a person Hermione was. How smart Hermione was. How _pretty_ Hermione was. When she started going on about her looks, Ron had gotten the hints.  
_It doesn't matter if I'm ready to be married, which I'm not,_ Ron began to disagree again. _Hermione would think I've gone mad. Wouldn't be surprised if she dropped me on the spot, either._ He looked down at his big hands and realized he was still holding the tiny box. He tossed it under the bed and climbed under the blankets.

* * *

**A/N**: Ooh, what's going to happen?? Ha ha...well stay tuned!! A crystal ball ring, eh? Interesting, right..am I right? (Shut up Veronica...) Anyway, I have loads of schoolwork but I'm doing the best I can to put out the stories in an efficiently quick way. Stay with me here...hope you're enjoying the story so far!! **PLEASE REVIEW**! 


	7. Invidia

**

Chapter 7: Invidia

**

"Honestly, Ginny, this is so simple! I don't understand why you don't understand," Hermione complained. She was sitting by the fire on a cold February evening, laying down on her stomach next to Ginny whom was doing the same. Hermione was helping Ginny with her Charms quarter-finals re-examination questions.  
"Well, if you understand, then why can't you explain it to me so that _I_ can understand?" Ginny snapped. Hermione huffed and flipped a page.  
"Ginny, these are very simple household things you're going to need to learn. Here, the Elongating Charm. Useful if you've got a skirt that's too short," Hermione explained. Ginny guffawed.  
"Too _short_? I have five older brothers. Everything I own is too _long_," she laughed. Hermione smiled politely and directed Ginny's back to the page.  
"_Diutius_, Ginny," Hermione said sternly. Ginny shot her a completely puzzled look. Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand. "Stand up," she ordered. Ginny, shrugging, hesitantly rose and stood in front of Hermione.  
"_Curtus skirt_," said Hermione firmly.  
"Who?" Ginny asked. Suddenly, she felt material touching her legs. Ginny saw that her uniform skirt had risen to an almost inapporpriate length.  
"Hermione!" she shrieked, almost diving behind an armchair to hide herself.  
"Stand up!" Hermione demanded loudly. Reluctantly, Ginny did, trying to pull her robes like a blanket over her. "_Diutius skirt_." With that, Ginny's skirt length returned to normal. She smiled.  
"Let me give it a go," Ginny said eagerly, whipping out her wand. Hermione took a leap to one side.  
"Oh no you don't!"  
"What, you want me to learn, don't you?"  
"After what I just did to you? Sooner then you think I'll be standing here almost starkers. No way in hell am I letting you point that thing at me." Ginny laughed and gave a menacing smile to her wand before turning around and looking around the room.  
"You've been spending too much time with Ron," she muttered with another chuckle to herself. "What else am I supposed to practice on?"  
"Oh, is Ginny practicing spells? We'd better be out then, wouldn't want to be in the room when that happens," joked a cheerful voice. Hermione spun around expectantly, but was surprised to see Harry with a smirky sort of smile.  
"Glad to see your in good spirits today." Hermione gave a wide smile as she walked closer to him. He was still smirking, which Hermione was quite curious about.  
"Well, I did get cheered up a bit." Harry had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing.  
"Now what's so funny?" asked Hermione, who couldn't help laughing a bit herself. She could no longer hide her curiousity. Harry stopped laughing and slapped on a serious face.  
"Oh, nothing...nothing at all. Ginny, a minute to speak with you?" Harry said quickly. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows and followed Harry quickly as he raced up to the boys' dormitory.  
"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Hermione jokingly called up, but there was no answer or any sign of acknowledgement. Hermione couldn't help wondering if it was about her.

"Ron spoke to you, right?" Harry asked, still smiling.  
"Since I took his crumpet at breakfast? No, not so much," said Ginny kiddingly. "Why? What about?"  
"About what he _has_," Harry said vaguely, but put enough emphasis on 'has' to spark Ginny's memory.  
"He told _you_?" Ginny gasped incredulously. "He must be _serious_..."  
"Do you actually think this is a good idea?" Harry asked, concern deep in his voice. Ginny shrugged.  
"It's not as if it's terribly unusual," she reasoned, "but he is still really young." Harry nodded. Suddenly, a voice hollered,  
"I see that's my bed. Dean's is over there." The voice was Ron, who was treading up the staircase slowly. Ginny whipped around and glared at him, but he just threw her a wink. She scowled.  
"Would people stop _doing_ that!" whined Ginny.  
"Doing what?" Ron asked. He didn't get a reply.  
"Are you serious?" Harry asked Ron, rushing over to talk to him as Ron threw a stack of textbooks on the bed. Ron shrugged.  
"What about?" Ron asked, shaking his head slowly to express no remembrance.  
"About tap dancing. No! About proposing to Hermione, that's what about," snapped Ginny, who was now also standing closely next to Harry. Ron shrugged.  
"Dunno."  
"You told me, you told Harry. You've gotten a ring! What do you mean 'dunno'?" demanded Ginny, stomping her foot lightly. Ron huffed and pushed past the two of them, flopping onto his bed.  
"Yes, alright? Are you happy?" shouted Ron. Ginny and Harry both took in a quick breath. Ginny's hands quivered and her eyes grew wide.  
"Have you thought this through enough? This is serious! Ron, it's not as if we're playing wedding with my Willa Witch dolls anymore - "  
"_Let me get this straight_," interrupted Ron loudly. "You're snapping at me to hurry up and make a desicion, then I tell you what you want to hear and you're discouraging me?"  
"No, it's not that, it's just - seventeen, Ron! You're seventeen!" Harry chimed in. Ron rolled his eyes.  
"But really? Haven't been told _that_ a quarter of a trillion times," he muttered. "I need more time to make a desicion. As for the likes of you - " he whipped around to stare at Ginny " - I am taking this seriously. Very seriously. Stop butting in my business." Ginny fell silent, as did Harry, until he made a coughing sound.  
"So...erm, Willa Witch dolls? Really?" he asked, obviously fighting laughter. Ron rolled his eyes and stomped his foot.  
"I was four!" defended Ron.  
"You were ten!" shouted Ginny. Ron huffed.  
"You used to play with my Quidditch figures."  
"Really, really not the same thing." Ginny and Ron's eyes were flashing, each about to battle for the good name of their childhood. Harry waved his hands in between them to singal them to calm down.  
"Alright, would the two of you stop this ridiculous fight?" Ron and Ginny sighed and backed away from each other.  
"About dinner time, right?" Ron said, throwing his hands up in the air enthusiastically. Ginny stopped him in mid-throw and grabbed his arm, jerking him backwards.  
"Can I please see the ring?" she begged. Ron rolled his eyes and fidgeted with irritation. He took one look at that overenhanced pout and shrugged.  
"Whatever. It's under the bed." Ginny squealed with delight and fell to the floor, scrambling beneath the bed sheets hanging over the side of the bed. Ron dashed downstairs and out of sight. Harry, however, just stood there and watched Ginny, amused, as her feet kicked and you could hear her rummaging through all of Ron's things.  
"Oh, this is absolutely disgusting!" cried Ginny, her voice muffled. Harry, for reasons unbeknownst to him, had the sudden urge to hop over there and help her...  
"What is?" Harry asked, shaking his head as he pulled himself from his thoughts. Ginny scooched back and crawled out from under the bed, looking sickly as she held up a green sock to show Harry. Harry shrugged.  
"Harry, it's not _supposed_ to be green!" she explained. She suddenly realized this herself as she flung the sock to the other side of the bed, disgusted. Harry stuck his tongue out a bit at the sock, which, he realized, made him look quite dumb. Ginny smiled and pulled out a little black box from behind her back.  
"The ring," she whispered. Harry knew it was jewelry. Just jewelry. But he couldn't help feeling excited to see the ring that might soon join his two best friends together forever. She took a few steps forward, holding the box tightly with both hands over her chest, then extended her arm to Harry with the ringbox-holding hand. Harry just looked at her. She shook the arm. Harry looked to the box and shook his head.  
"Do you want me to take the ring?" he asked, not knowing what she was doing.  
"Look at it," she demanded. She was smiling, but the certain sharpness in her voice made Harry dive for the little box even quicker. He opened it and took out the little ring with the glistening crystal ball on top. He held it up to a light and watched it twinkle.  
"How did Ron pick out something so...decent?" Harry asked in a whisper, almost to himself. Ginny walked up to Harry and looked up to the ring. It was peaceful in the room. They stood under the ring, looking up at the rainbows bouncing off the crystal. They were caught in the center of the room, between Ron and Harry's beds, the same distance from the big, starry window from the staircase leading to the common room.  
"I want to try it on," stated Ginny, breaking the pleasant silence. Harry snapped his head down so he was looking at Ginny and not the ring which he had clutched in his palm and now held at his side. Harry slowly held it up but then snatched it back down.  
"It's Hermione's ring; you can't try on Hermione's engagement ring," Harry said, smiling a teasing smile. Ginny was smiling again as well.  
"It's not yet, not until Ron proposes. He never will, and that ring will be up for snatching away," she laughed. Harry shrugged.  
"Then it's really Ron's property for now. And I won't let you be stealing that!" He held up the ring over his head, which meant Ginny had to jump for it. She bit her lower lip as she leaped up. They both laughed and giggled when Ginny couldn't reach.  
"Just give it to me!" she demanded, but her voice was almost completely incoherent because of her giggling. Harry kept his mischievous grin and held the box by his side. Ginny grabbed for it, grabbing Harry's hand at the same time, but he pulled it back. However, her grip was strong and she was pulled forward with the sudden jerk, causing her body to slam into Harry's. As they both stopped laughing, she looked up to his face. He looked down at hers. Ginny still stood too close to him and took and abrupt step back, still looking up to Harry. Their hands were still together as well. Time stood completely still and silent with them.  
"_Egcm_," Harry coughed very quietly. He hesitantly pulled away his fist from Ginny's hand just as she snapped it away. It was all they both could do not to bolt, and they both knew that look on their faces. Ginny just turned away, crossing her arms as she looked to the starry-dark sky. In Harry's fist was the ring. He grasped Ginny's hand for just one moment as he popped the ring into her fist. After doing so, he jumped back awkwardly. "So, er, try it on." Ginny nodded and managed a weak, almost forced, smile. She put the ring on her ring finger and cocked her head as she admired it. She intook a sharp breath. "What?" asked Harry, taking a little step closer.  
"It burns, oh, oh..it's cooling," Ginny stared at the ring, as did Harry. The ring's yellow band turned silver then brightened into an intense gold. The crystal ball looked like a snowglobe going mad, the flakes twisting and flying. It sparkled a pale blue, then a new substance appeared. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and looked at the ring closely. "C-con-_confusius_," she sounded out slowly as she realized the substance were words forming.  
"Latin," whispered Harry.  
"What?"  
"Um, it's Latin. I think..and I could be wrong, but I think it means confused." Ginny turned a rosey pink. Harry didn't say anything else; he was waiting for Ginny to speak. But Ginny didn't speak although she started the breath faster.  
"What, you think it's a mood ring?" she tried to say dismissively, but her voice cracked with a squeak at the end of her sentence. Harry chuckled under his breath.  
"A mood ring. Ron's going to try give Hermione a mood ring when he proposes? I'm so sure that'll go over well."  
"Let's see your mood," she snapped. Harry was taken aback. He'd only meant that as a joke, and he hadn't even directed it towards Ginny. "Well, go on. If it's a mood ring, what are you thinking? It's not like we ever know." Harry wanted badly to roll his eyes, but he didn't want to edge her on. He had been through a lot in his life. These past weird emotions and feelings weren't completely knew, but it didn't make him understand them anymore. This was his last year ever at Hogwarts. She had another year of safety and security. What the hell was he going to do after this? Stay with the Dursleys? Of course not, but how was he going to go about buying a house? Or getting a job? It's not as if he'd had any experience! If only Ginny could understand.  
If only Ginny could understand? How was that going to help if Ginny understood? She didn't understand, and she wouldn't. All Harry wanted her to do was get out of his life and stop acting like she knew everything he was about. Although he wanted this, he didn't. He didn't want Ginny not to care. If he didn't have Ron and Hermione's support, he wasn't going to get through anything. He needed another person to care, because Ron and Hermione did have lives of their own (which seemed to be getting even more their own), despite all their efforts.  
"What is it about my _mood_ and my _mind_ that you need to know so much about?" Harry ended up snapping back. He realized suddenly that his mouth was faster then his mind. Ginny flicked her hand again in pain - the snowglobe turned a fuschia. "_Impeditus_" it read. Harry could only guess what this Latin word meant - but the matching coloring of Ginny's face and the snowglobe's was a hint.  
Ginny could barely control her breathing pattern. Her red hair seemed to be competing with her face. She looked from the ring to Harry quickly, then glared him down. Throwing the ring on the bed next to her, she stormed down the steps. Harry stood still until the light pounding of her feet against the stairs and floor faded away.

Harry decided against going to dinner. He didn't want another blowout from Ginny. To keep him occupied, he invented a game in which he switched Ron's and Seamus's possessions and bedsheets and was going to see who noticed first. It wasn't much of a contest - Seamus. He also put away Ron's ring for him so that it wouldn't be laying around for chance Hermione would find it.  
Harry was just about to pour Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' Disappearing Blood over Hermione's textbooks in the common room, when the load of Gryffindors poured into the room. There was a much louder commotion then ever going on around them, Harry noticed. There were laughs from the boys and giggly whispering and shrieking from the girls. Ron emerged from the crowd filing into the dormitories. His fingers were laced with Hermione's, who was close behind his shoulder.  
"You missed an exciting anouncement during dinner," he greeted Harry sarcastically. "Apparently, Lavender and Parvati have done it again." Harry hadn't the faintest idea what he was talking about. Then he remembered - the flyers. The petition. There was going to be a Spring Ball?  
"Ron, I told you we didn't have to go," Hermione insisted quietly. Ron waved her off.  
"No, no, no. I saw how you were throwing yourself against the glass outside the dress robes stores last Hogsmeade's weekend. We're _going_," Ron insisted harder. "You are _not_ going to be blaming _me_ for not being able to attend this ridic - this ball." Hermione smiled shyly and attempted to cover part of her face with her hair.  
"Where were you at dinner?" she finally asked. Harry shrugged.  
"I'm not...in the mood for dinner," he responded absently. "So, this Ball? Who else do you know of is going?" Hermione looked to Ron and bit her lip. Ron glanced at her then sort of turned to the wall. They both shrugged unconvincingly.  
"Ginny and Dean?" suggested Harry casually, but there was a very obvious bitterness in his voice that Hermione and Ron could easily detect. However, they didn't say anything about it.  
"Well you weren't there...and, and so Ginny was sitting next to Dean. They both just kind of looked at each other and smiled. He didn't ask her, Harry, though," Ron said quickly, looking at Harry as if afraid of what he might do. Harry shrugged.  
"So?" he snapped. He didn't do a very good job at all at hiding his anger. Hermione kissed Ron and then hugged Harry lightly around the neck.  
"I'm going to bed," she said excitedly, as if this was something she'd never done before. Ron rolled his eyes once Hermione's back was turned although knowing inside how excited she was about going on a date with Ron to the Spring Ball.  
"At least you have a date." Harry read Ron's mind, nodding toward the direction Hermione had just basically skipped. Ron nodded.  
"You have a pick out of any girl in the school, just ask one out!" Ron cried. "Well, almost every girl. Um, most of them. Erm, a lot of them. Eh, well, a good amount of them; enough."  
"I don't _want_ every girl in the school," Harry said. Suddenly, he had a feverish flash across his body, and he knew must be blushing. He felt like he'd just admitted something huge. Ron shifted his feet nervously.  
"Yeah, well...let's go to bed," Ron muttered and started off for the dormitories. Harry followed.  
When they'd reached the top of the staircase, Ron walked inside and sat on his-really-Seamus's bed and looked around absently. Ron furrowed his eyebrows and bounced on the bed a bit.  
"Hey!" he shouted. "Harry, this isn't my bed!" Harry laughed.  
"I gave the odds to Seamus, but I guess you won," he said. Ron guffawed and hit him innocently on the shoulder.  
"Then you put it back."  
"No, you won, so you can put it back."  
"Shut up, Harry, and help me take all this stuff out." The two were arguing pointlessly when Dean walked in some cool, popular way and sat down on his bed.  
"Guess who has a date with your sister, Ron?" Dean said loudly. Ron whipped around; he didn't like it anymore when Dean flaunted his fondness for Ginny. It was mostly for Harry's sake, but he was also being a quite protective of his sister. Harry suddenly noticed his fists were clenched and he was barely moving, just staring Dean down. When he did notice, he released his breath and let himself relax. After what just happened today, he put those last few pieces in the puzzle. He wasn't going to fool himself anymore; he knew he wanted to be with Ginny Weasley.


	8. What the Red Button Really Does

**A/N:** Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing ) I appreciate it lots. I don't think I explained what "Invidia" means for the last chapter title - according to an online Latin translator, it can mean 'jealousy.' Sorry for the confusion!  
I apologize for this being such a long chapter! I really didn't mean for it to turn out that way. I promise to make the next one more quickly/easily readable.

**Chapter 8: What the Red Button Really Does**

Hermione sat in the common room and smoothed out the pleats in her uniform skirt. She didn't know why she was so nervous - Ginny and her were just going to look at dress robes, that was all. It was the 13th of February today. It wasn't even the last Hogsmeade weekend before the Spring Ball in early March, but Ginny had said it was smart to get your robes a good time in advance.  
Hermione just had something funny on her mind. Not funny, really, but more of a peculiar feeling. She felt more tense around Ron lately, which when they first started being a couple was the opposite of what she felt. Ginny wouldn't make even a little bit of noise when Ron came around. It seemed Harry wanted to tell her something but wouldn't. However, he had other things on his mind Hermione wouldn't dare try to get him to talk about anymore. She assumed that's what he was worried about.  
Robe shopping was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was somehow thrilled by the idea of going with Ron as his date to this ball. It was some kind of fantasy story she would have made up as a little girl in her head or absently dreamed about in her sleep. Ron just made her really excited most of the time. He had this wonderful sense of humor, and he was a fantastic friend.  
Of course, these were things she'd known for almost seven years. This thought was what made Hermione stop wringing her hands. It wasn't, however, a thought that kept Hermione from jumping up from her seat in the armchair when Ginny tapped her on the shoulder.  
"You're wearing Hogwarts robes," she accused at once without even a hello. After all, it was the first time Hermione had seen her since dinner the night before. Hermione huffed almost silently as she stood in front of Ginny and began to compulsively smooth out her skirt again. Ginny threw her arms down and stamped her foot lightly as if Hermione should know what she meant. "You don't want to wear something nicer? Something you're not being forced to wear?" Hermione shrugged.  
"I like my robes," Hermione spat defensively. Ginny rolled her eyes and waved her hands to dismiss a possible argument.  
"You should wear pale pink," Ginny cheerfully declared abruptly. Hermione shrugged.  
"I don't know," she sighed. "I'll need your help today." Ginny smiled and jumped to hug Hermione warmly. Hermione didn't hug back; she just stood in shock in the embrace.  
"With my help, you're going to look _beautiful_," said Ginny, letting go. When Hermione crossed her arms and opened her mouth, Ginny added, "Even more then before, of course." Hermione glared at her briefly before picking her small sack off the ground and flinging it over her shoulder. Just then, Lavender and Parvati stumbled gigglingly down from the dorm they shared with Hermione.  
"Oh, Hermione!" laughed Lavender as she hopped off the last step. "You should come robe shopping with us! We'll help you find the most _perfect_ dress ones!" Hermione smiled politely up at them as she slowly swung her sack behind her. She shook her head and waved her right hand.  
"Oh, that's alright," she said. "I'm going with Ginny." Parvati shrugged.  
"Oh, you're going with Ginny? Okay, fine," Parvati said condescendingly. Lavender rolled her eyes with a smile at her best friend and pushed her along as they scampered off to join the rest of the school as they headed to Hogsmeade. Ginny jerked her head in the direction they were headed but Hermione didn't move.  
"Shouldn't we wait for Harry and Ron?" she asked. Ginny guffawed.  
"You really want them going robe shopping with us?" she snapped. "Besides, they were up a few hours ago. They've probably been waiting down there for a while." Hermione furrowed her eyebrows.  
"Since when were they getting up at the break of dawn?" she asked doubtfully with a snort as she followed Ginny out of the common room. Ginny crossed her arms over a coin pouch nervously.  
"Oh, they, er, probably ended up falling asleep in their books last night," Ginny explained. Hermione nodded.  
"That's right. I saw them down there talking last night. I didn't know they were studying. That's great," said Hermione triumphantly, as if she'd somehow brought a great miracle upon the world. Ginny shrugged and tucked a little box she'd stolen from the common room the other night.  
"You haven't found anything you like yet?" whined Ginny as Hermione tossed another robe, this one the eighth pink one Ginny had made her try on, back on the rack at Gladrags. Although Hermione was taking an eternity, Ginny had already picked out satiny-pale yellow robes.  
"None of these look right," muttered Hermione. Ginny growled under her breath and grabbed pale green, fluffy robes off of the rack and thrust it at Hermione. Hermione eyed Ginny and the dress doubtfully.  
"Go!" Ginny ordered. Hermione huffed as she walked over to a mirrored area and threw on the robes over her uniform. Ginny rolled her eyes as Hermione judged every curve and wrinkle in it through the mirror. "I'll be right back, Hermione," called Ginny as she walked towards the door, patting the lump in her pocket and leaving her dress robes on a rack. Hermione rushed over to her and almost tripped over the fringes of the dress robes she was still wearing.  
"Where are you going?" Hermione demanded to know. Ginny sighed.  
"I'll be right back," she repeated, continuing towards the door. Hermione lunged for her arm.  
"You have to help me," she begged, tugging at the too-tight sleeves and pulling in the too-loose waist. Ginny put her palm in front of Hermione's face.  
"I'll be _right back_," Ginny repeated for the third - and last - time slowly. Hermione narrowed her eyes at her friend and pulled up the skirt of the dress. She ripped it off the top of her head and continued to look for another pick. Ginny headed out of the shop while Hermione's back was turned.  
Ginny ran to the Three Broomsticks from Gladrags Wizard Wear. She smiled with relief as she stood halfway inside, her hand on the frame in the doorway. She raced over to the table where Ron was sitting.  
"Great, you're here," she said with a sigh. Ron, who hadn't seen her come in, jumped with fright as he turned to see her.  
"Ginny, you don't _do_ that," he snapped. Ginny shrugged and reached into her pocket, and then she revealed the tiny box she'd stuffed in there that morning. "There it is," he muttered, snatching it from her open palm. "What were you doing with it?"  
"The ring is...well, I don't know how to describe it, it's something odd," Ginny said. Ron shot her a puzzled look, so she snapped open the box and put the ring on her finger.  
"Don't try it on!" whispered Ron harshly.  
"Just look," Ginny demanded through gritted teeth as the now white hot band of the ring began to burn her finger again. The crystal ball sitting on top of the ring began to swirl furiously again until it settled to a bright magenta pink. The small letters that Ginny had long since discovered were the flakes formed the word '_fervidus_.' Ron scrunched up his nose at it.  
"What did it do?" he asked confusedly. Ginny rolled her eyes.  
"_Fervidus,_" she sounded out slowly, testing out the Latin. Earlier that week when she'd last tried on the ring (during Potions when it revealed that she was intimidated), she'd gotten Hermione to dig through her books for one containing Latin words. She'd succeeded, not to Ginny's surprise, and lent it to her. Ginny, of course, could not explain about the ring and decided she'd say that she was reasearching different spells for an essay. The book was in the small, purple purse she'd brought with her. Looking up "Fervidus", she found the most closely related definition to what she was probably feeling was "fiery" or "excited". After explaining this to Ron, he just dismissed it by saying,  
"Alright, so it's a mood ring. What, you don't think Hermione will like it?" Ginny laughed at Ron's "joke".  
"Don't even _pretend_ to be ridiculous! Of course she'll _hate_ it. How smooth do you think the proposal will go over once she says yes, that right after she puts on that ring it will burn her finger off," she started. Ron shrugged, and she continued, "Then, she finds out that in _Latin_, of all languages, she gets her mood explained to her."  
"I don't have anything else to give to her," Ron said sadly. Ginny relaxed and set her hand on his arm lightly to show sympathy.  
"Maybe it's for the best. You're barely almost eighteen," she said softly. Ron pulled away from her.  
"Ever since I got this stupid ring, I was...I don't know, looking forward to it or something," he muttered. Ginny couldn't stifle a quiet squeal.  
"_Really?_" she whispered excitedly. "Oh, God, finally I'll have a _sister_ around the house." Ron hit her on the shoulder and she kicked him hard in the shin back, but that's all there was to the fight. They sat there in silence as Ron toyed with the box in his hand and Ginny sipped the butterbeer in front of her that had been Ron's. That silence was broken, however, when Lavender Brown broke through a slight crowd and landed in front of Ginny and Ron.  
"You haven't heard?" she asked worriedly. Ginny shook her head and Ron shrugged. Lavender was obviously beside herself.  
"The Spring Ball might be _canceled_," she gasped desperately, as if she couldn't believe they would do this. To Ginny's surprise, both her and Ron huffed angrily for a moment. Lavender nodded ferociously. "I _know_. I heard McGonagoll say that she was worried it would interfere with our studies, as it is only a _spring_ ball. Isn't that...outrageously ridiculous!"  
"Ridiculous," Ginny repeated quietly. Ron shook his head. Lavender gave a pathetic smile before finding her way outside again. Ron leaned sideways toward Ginny and whispered,  
"You can't tell anyone. You know you promised. But that was when I wanted to, well when I was thinking about, about, er, _proposing_ to Hermione." Ginny smiled widely and put one hand over her mouth. For being so obviously against Ron and Hermione getting married at eighteen, she sure seemed to get teary-eyed at the mention of the idea. "Well, whatever," sighed Ron, "like you said, I'm not even an _adult_ yet." He flipped open the box and set it on the table. He and Ginny stared at it for a moment before Ron took it out of it's box.  
"You're not going to put it on, are you?" Ginny asked with a giggle. Ron shot her a look.  
"Would it matter if I did?" he responded acidly. Ginny shrugged and offered him her hand, palm up.  
"Go ahead," she said. Ron glared at her as he slipped the ring quickly on his thinnest finger. Suddenly, he had to shake his hand quickly.  
"You were right," she shouted, "it does burn!" Ginny rolled her eyes.  
"It burnt, but not that much," she said dismissively. However, the burning became so bad that his hand slowly turned scarlet. "Or that long," gasped Ginny. She reached for the ring to try pull it off, but she had to retract her hand just as quickly because it was so painfully hot. Unlike when Ginny had ever put on the ring, the crystal sphere sitting on top of the band emitted a bright glow. According to Ron's reaction, though, the ball was cooling and his hand slowly returned to a paler color. A red glow remained in the crystal, but the bright glow had faded away.  
"What the hell is it doing _now_?" Ron cried. Ginny shook her head.  
"I have no idea," she whispered. Just then, from their table, Ginny heard the door burst open, and Hermione sauntered over to their table, dragging olivey-green dress robes along with Ginny's yellow ones behind her.  
"Right back, my foot," snapped Hermione to Ginny. Ginny shrugged apologetically.  
"I got caught up in conversation?" Ginny offered. Hermione chuffed and glared at her for a moment before tossing the robes in her lap.  
"Are you happy now?" she sighed, sitting down across from Ginny and Ron. Ginny smiled at the dress.  
"It's lovely," she gushed. Hermione brightened up as Ginny handed her robes back to Hermione and Hermione held it up next to her for Ron to see.  
"Do you like it?" she asked expectantly. Ron looked up at her with a quiet smile. Hermione frowned. "What's the matter?" Ginny threw her hands on the table.  
"There might not be a Ball for us to wear these," she explained. Color dropped from Hermione's cheeks noticeably.  
"Ron, I know how much you wanted to go with me. It's horrible, really, after all the time alone you've wanted since the last real date we ever had," she said quickly. Blinking, she looked from Ginny to Ron. "I can't believe I bought these stupid robes just for the Ball to be canceled," she complained in a more fluent voice. Ron blushed and looked down at his hands. He realized was still wearing the ring. He ripped it off, put it in the box quickly, and slunk down in his seat so he could put it in his pocket without Hermione seeing.  
"Well, I suppose we got what we came for," mumbled Ginny, lifting up the hanger that was holding the pale yellow dress robes. Hermione nodded.  
"Didn't Harry come with you?" she asked Ron. Ron didn't look at her or Ginny and acted as if he didn't hear Hermione. "What, where's Harry?"  
"It's a bit of a long story," Ron began slowly but stopped there. Ginny pushed his shoulder. Ron sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you..."  
"Or you could," Ginny edged on eagerly. Ron shook his head.  
"Believe me. You of all people don't really want to know."

"That's horrible! He's borderline suspension! Oh, no, Ron, if he - " Tears were beginning to overflow in the corners of Hermione's eyes. Ron hugged her tightly until her breathing pattern returned to normal. Ginny sat in silence, mouth dropped open slightly; fear was in her eyes, but anger churned in her stomach.  
"We don't know _what's_ going to happen to him," Ron reasoned, facing Ginny as he continued to hold Hermione. "After all, he didn't even use _magic_. So, he hit him - nothing more then what Hermione hits like." Hermione hit the arm she'd been grasping on to as her face was still buried in his neck. She'd meant to hurt him, but her pathetic slap had done nothing.  
"There is no time for your jokes," she snapped while her voice was muffled by tears.  
"Of course there is, we're still going to be here for another half an hour." Hermione sniffed. Ginny drummed her finger anxiously on the table. Hermione cleared her throat and backed away from Ron. She wiped her eyes and cleared off her face. Ginny sighed and crossed her arms. Ron did the same, to the exception that he did not do it in the huffy, girlish way Ginny did.  
"I'll kill him," muttered Ginny, mostly to herself. Ron sneered.  
"Do you _really_ care?" asked Ron curtly. He said it quietly enough so that Hermione, who was still sniffling her last tears and admiring the fabric on her new dress robes, didn't hear. Ginny glared up at her brother.  
"Of course! My boyfriend's jaw is broken because of him. Just lucky there are potions for those sorts of things," snapped back Ginny. Ron rolled his eyes.  
"When was the last time you ever held hands with Dean? Kissed him?" asked Ron. Ginny mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide.  
"I cannot _believe_ that you would ask me that! I'm not going to tell you, my older brother, that!" gasped Ginny. Ron shrugged.  
"Well, if there's nothing to tell, there's nothing to tell," he said too casually. Ginny stomped her foot and jumped, grabbing her things messily from the seat. She huffed, glared at Ron briefly, and stormed out. Hermione stared at her until she'd slammed open the store and left.  
"What did you say to her?" Hermione asked scoldingly. Ron shook his head and muttered,  
"Nothing, let's just drop it."  
Ginny spun around the outside of The Three Broomsticks worriedly as she looked for Dean. When she couldn't find him, she decided he'd must be with Professor McGonagoll. But she couldn't find her anywhere either. She wanted to fall through the ground with worry. It would only help if she knew who she was more worried about.

"I'm sorry," Harry muttered as he and Dean sat in Professor McGonagoll's office after returning from Hogsmeade. Dean shrugged.  
"Whatever," he replied. Although he was mumbling, it was because he was holding an icepack to his mouth that was numb because of the potion.  
"Potter, Thomas. I have no choice but to take fifty points away from Gryffindor each," said Professor McGonagoll. "Such behavior is unacceptable. You may return to your common room, but you will not be able to return to Hogsmeade with your classes for the rest of the year." Harry and Dean nodded. Dean got up and stumbled out of the office, tripping over a chair on the way out.  
"Harry, what the hell were you yelling at me about back in Hogsmeade?" Dean asked curiously. He did not seem as angry, Harry thought, then when he'd lunged at Harry just a few hours before.  
"Nothing," Harry muttered, trying to take a different route away from Dean so he would not have to continue the conversation. However, his attempts were unsucessful.  
"You were never able to finish telling me why I'd needed to...er, stick to my own priorities?"  
"Shove off, would you?"  
"No, I want to know." Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He was actually going to force him to talk about her? Talk about Ginny Weasley? Talk about how he was in love with his girlfriend, _Ginny_ Weasley? Well, not really in _love_, he supposed, but in deep enough trouble to have another spat with Dean right there in the corridor.  
"You're not good enough for Ginny," he ended up spitting out. It came out faster then he could think. It wasn't true at all; anyone Ginny picked was obviously worth it. Dean was a fine guy, anyway. It didn't really matter though. To Harry, no one was going to be good enough except for himself. Dean looked infuriated. He seemed to want to strike Harry, but knowing the consequences, he wasn't going to.  
"I hope I didn't just hear you right," he said. His voice was even, but it was still thick with fury. Harry took a step towards him.  
"You did. She doesn't even want to be with you. You're too hopelessly in love to see that," Harry continued. _I've_ got _to shut up_, Harry thought to himself.  
"I've kissed her plenty of times to know that she certainly hasn't got you on her mind," spat Dean cuttingly. Harry started to say something else, but a fifth year Ravenclaw prefect was making her way down the corridor. Harry glared at Dean once more before quickly walking forward in the direction of the common room. He could hear Dean's footsteps close behind him.  
Once they were back in the common room, Dean pushed Harry to the side to get past even even though he could have clearly walked around him. Dean stopped short and stared in the farthest corner where an armchair was. Harry stopped too, and when he did, he saw Ginny Weasley. She was curled up in the chair, her flaming hair all over the place and messily tied into two seperate tails, and her green eyes bloodshot and a deeper green then ever before. Her face was flushed too. This led Harry to believe she'd been crying.  
"Ginny?" said Dean quietly. Ginny smiled, Harry could tell, but barely. Dean took very slow steps until he reached her chair. She had her arms crossed and she sat still. Dean waited a moment before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and giving her a hug. Harry felt a surge of envy go through him at that moment. Ginny hugged Dean's arm quickly, but let go. He, however, continued to hug her. Ginny shot Harry a look from over Dean's shoulder. Although Harry couldn't understand what this look meant, he decided to slowly ascend up the steps to his dormitory.

Ginny couldn't handle it anymore. Dean made her so awkward, especially because he could love her but she couldn't love back.  
Once she thought she loved Dean. But she'd been fourteen, and hadn't known much. She was sixteen now. She'd be turning seventeen this year. She couldn't drag Dean along on her wish just to have a boyfriend. That was too immature for someone _her_ age. Ginny rolled her eyes at herself as she sat on the sofa as Dean held her hand quietly. This didn't have to do with immaturity, she knew. This had something to do with Harry Potter getting into a fistfight with her boyfriend. Dean and Harry were on fine terms, so Ginny knew that there could only be one explanation for why Harry had thrown the first punch.  
An explanation that she'd only wished about for years could be possible, but until recently, she thought that had been just a phase. There had been lot's of girls she'd grown up going to school with that had crushes on Harry. Now they were getting crushes on the next cover of wizarding magazines.  
Ginny was the only one who knew him. She'd become good enough friends with Hermione and better friends with her brother, so she always had an excuse to be in the same room with Harry. After Hermione and Ron started to go out on dates, it seemed more and more that they wouldn't have minded if Harry and Ginny weren't there. Even Hermione's eyes seem to drift from her quill and parchment and to elsewhere.  
Often and more often, she knew these words from her brother,  
"Ginny, can't you shop for books on your own? Hermione and I...have something else to do."  
"Right, Ron. I'm not an idiot."  
Ron still used this lame excuse on some Hogsmeade weekends.  
That's how she ended up spending time chatting to Harry. Looking around shops with Harry. Talking to Harry at the Three Broomsticks. Joking with Harry. They even had a few inside jokes.  
They'd been friends before, of course, but they never really did things completely alone. It was nice to.  
Ginny thought that it was leading somewhere. Maybe not especially quickly (no matter what she'd hoped), but when she had to go date hunting for him? Ginny remembered how hateful she felt. She wanted to tell Harry how she thought she felt, or ask him what he felt, but she decided that if she could find him someone who he was bound to be heartbroken by...she'd end up right where she wanted to be. She would be his shoulder to cry on.  
He ended up liking that stupid top-of class, pretty, Ravenclaw. It may have been immature, but she knew she had to do something.  
_"Dean, hi."  
"Oh, hello, Ginny."  
"I have to say that I missed you."  
"Er..missed me?"  
"We used to go out, remember? I've been thinking about you lately."  
"Really."  
"Really."  
"Ginny, I thought we ended this on good terms."  
"Alright, but wouldn't it be nice to be friends?"  
"There's a Hogsmeade weekend. I guess we could spend some extra time together outside of class."  
"Fine."_  
That's exactly how the conversation had gone. Until she kissed him when he wouldn't say yes, and he confessed that he thought about her a lot when they'd broken up. She felt horrible, but since they got along fine, what was the harm?  
This was the harm. This, them sitting on the couch together as dates for the Spring Ball and boyfriend and girlfriend, was the harm.  
"I can't," Ginny said loudly, her voice cracking, so Dean could hear. He shook a bit, startled by the sudden sound in the silence. "I can't, I can't do this."  
"What?" Dean looked at her so worriedly she thought she'd confessed she was a serial killer.  
"I think it's wrong. That you like me, that is. It's not right. We spend way too much time together, and, and," Ginny couldn't speak anymore. She was blathering like an idiot and began to sob suddenly. Dean looked at the mess that was Ginny, unable to decide whether to sit there or hug her.  
"You want to break up," he finished for her. Ginny tried to mop up her tears and sobs with her sleeve, but she almost started to hypervenelate. Dean conjured a goblet of water out of a flower vase sitting on a table. Ginny refused it, but nodded fiercely.  
"I'm sorry," she managed after she was able to breathe easier. "You know that -"  
"Whatever, Ginny," Dean grumbled, now that she was able to speak.  
"Whatever? But - "  
"I was stupid to think he was wrong," Dean interrupted irritatedly again. "He's Harry Potter. I hope you'll be very happy." One of Ginny's hands had been resting on his arms as she sat criss-crossed on the sofa. Dean had been sitting toward her stiffly. Now he stood up abruptly, shrugging her off, and walking broodingly up to his dormitory. Ginny sighed.  
"I do like you," she said lamely. Dean smiled in her direction fastly, then turned away just as fast. He called back a little bitingly,  
"You just like Harry Potter more? I get it."


	9. The Bad Luck Valentines

**

Chapter 9: The Bad Luck Valentines

**

"So you and Ron really aren't doing anything for Valentine's Day?" Lavender asked incredulously. "He really is a prat, now isn't he?"  
"You really deserve to go out on Valentine's Day, Hermione, after all the studying you do. Don't just sit there and tell us you don't want to," Parvati chimed in. Hermione rolled her eyes. It's just like her two irritating roommates to get so hung up on what she thought was a ridiculous holiday.  
"I don't want to," sighed Hermione as she continued to scribble in her notebook. She found it exhausting to argue with them about something so obviously none of their business.  
"Have you got a date for Valentine's Day?" Lavender asked Parvati, bouncing onto her bed. She shook her head.  
"I know you've got one with Seamus," said Parvati said coyly, raising an eyebrow. Lavender giggled.  
"Yep. We're having a nice picnic lunch. It's really simple, not like that big blowout you had last year."  
"I did _not_ have a big 'blowout', it was just a nice gathering - "  
"Will the both of you _shut up_?" shrieked Hermione. They turned to stare at her for a moment. Lavender opened her mouth to say something, but Parvati gave her a look.  
"She's just tiffed. I would be too if I were in her situation," Parvati whispered to Lavender sympahtetically.  
"Alright, out, out!" demanded Hermione, practically throwing them down the stair case as she coralled them outside the dorm. Lavender rolled her eyes, and Parvati huffed, but they eventually left as Lavender called back,  
"Fine then, _mum_."  
"It's like they share one brain stuffed to the brim with hair and beauty and _boys_, and there isn't enough to go around," muttered Hermione. She turned back to her parchment, but realized there was nothing else left to do. She considered reading, but for the first time since...ever, that seemed boring. Maybe that's because all the books she had in her suitcase or on her nightstand she knew by heart. She thought about going down to the library, but even _that_ seemed like a chore too. She wondered if Ginny wasn't doing anything. Then she remembered it being Valentine's Day, she was probably spending the day with Dean. With a sigh, she walked over to the window and looked out. Thinking about Valentine's Day made her feel lonely, which never did before. She sat on Lavender's bed, which was right under the window, and sat in the sunlight pouring through. It was lightly breezy outside; she could tell by the slight swaying of the trees in the Forbidden Forest and around the castle. Tapping her fingers against the pane, she lost track of time as she tried to keep herself occupied by thinking. She didn't even hear Ginny come in and sit on her bed.  
"Hermione?" Ginny said quietly when she realized Hermione hadn't noticed her. Hermione turned slowly from the window and jumped to see Ginny sitting across from her.  
"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione excitedly, suddenly realizing how bored she'd been. Ginny smiled weakly. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in concern and hopped over to her bed so she could sit next to Ginny. Ginny crossed her arms awkwardly and turned away from Hermione to sniffle. Hermione rest a hand on the shoulder of Ginny's closest to her. She tried to turn her head back to look at her, but Ginny just jerked away.  
"What's wrong?" she finally demanded. Ginny sniffled again and breathed deeply to hold in a good cry. She crawled onto Hermione's bed and sat criss-crossed like she used to do when she was a kid. She couldn't take Hermione's stare anymore and broke down. "Oh, Ginny," she said frusteratedly to herself. Ginny, unlike Hermione, could control her tears better and sucked them down.  
"Dean and I broke up. It's nothing, really," Ginny she muttered. Hermione shot her a comforting smile. Ginny shrugged. "It wasn't his idea. It was mine, and I'm _still_ crying about it," she added with a bitter laugh.  
"Forget Dean," ordered Hermione. Ginny shrugged. "You'll find another date for the Yule Ball. After all, it's not like you really liked - " Hermione stopped there. Ginny snapped her head up at her and glared at her briefly. Hermione bit her lip and backed away slightly from Ginny. "I didn't mean that you used - "  
"Nevermind, then, alright?" interrupted Ginny snappily, uncrossing her legs and swinging them over the side of the bed. "You're right. You're absolutely right. I will, I will find another date for the Yule Ball," she added determinedly. Hermione nodded.  
"Who?" she asked abruptly. Ginny stared at her blankly. "Who? Who are you going to go with?"Hermione repeated.  
"What do you mean _who?_" she huffed. "I just broke _out_ of a relationship. How fast am I supposed to get into one?" One thought raced through her mind, but she pushed it away, knowing it was never going to happen. Hermione smiled.  
"Well you don't need to think about it right now. It's not for a while," Hermione said dismissively. Her slightly aloof behavior was starting to make Ginny nervous.  
"Why aren't you doing anything for Valentine's Day?" she asked Hermione teasingly to cut the tension she was feeling. Hermione glared at her for a moment.  
"Ron and I don't have a date for today because _I_ didn't want a Valentine's Day date," she said sternly. "Valentine's Day is a sad excuse for a holiday, if you ask me. Why should there be a special day set aside for love? That's just what girls need, _another_ excuse to feel desperate for a boy."  
"You're right," Ginny agreed. She felt a bit hypocritical that there used to be a time when she would have done anything for a Valentine's Day date. That time had been around seven that morning. She also felt guilty that she sort of _was_ desperate for a boy to like and for them to like her back.

"Didn't Hermione tell you it was Valentine's Day?" Seamus asked Ron as they played wizard's chess in the common room. Ron narrowed his eyes at him.  
"Knight to B7. Hermione protests this holiday. She didn't want to go out on a date. Would you just shove off?" Ron snapped. "Besides, I don't see _you_ with a date, let alone a girlfriend." Seamus laughed.  
"I do have a date. Lavender. Rook to B3." Ron stared at him.  
"You better have just called me Lavender," Ron demanded. Seamus shrugged.  
"Sorry, I have a date, a Miss Lavender Brown," Seamus chuckled. "Hope Hermione has fun with her date - likely a book. Beats you, now doesn't it?" Ron chuffed and shook his head.  
"Hermione does _not_ have a date with a book," he muttered lamely. "Knight to D4."  
"She sure doesn't have a date with you."  
"Just shut up and play chess."  
"Seamus, are you ready?" Lavender Brown herself demanded to know, sauntering over to the table they were at seemingly from out of nowhere.  
"Ready?" he asked confusedly. Ron smirked.  
"You know, prepared to spend the day - "  
"I know what she means," Seamus mumbled, getting up from the chair. Lavender grabbed his arm sternly and directed him away from the table.  
"I win by default!" declared Ron as Seamus followed Lavender out of the common room.  
"I beg to differ," called back Seamus.  
"Shut up and get the bloody hell out of here!" Ron called back feigned-bitterly just before they were out of sight. Ron stared down at the chess board and summoned the pieces back to their original places. He sat in silence, anxiously tapping his fingers on the table. He was waiting for someone even though there wasn't anyone coming down the steps anytime soon, that he knew of. Harry had gotten up early that morning, so Ron hadn't seen him since the day before in Hogsmeade. He had thought about hanging out with Hermione, but she had specifically said she didn't want to go on a date just because it was Valentine's Day. She hadn't said she didn't want to go out on a date at _all_, but Ron wasn't going to push her. _You have two choices..._ he though silently to himself. _You can either go find Harry or go find Hermione._ After much debate, he decided to go with the first which posed more oppurtunities then watching Hermione read.  
He hadn't any idea where Harry would be, getting up so early and all. It wasn't as if there was any place to go, except outside in the slowly-warming weather of mid-February. Ron suddenly realized that's just the place he best first check.

Ron stood on the outskirts of the inside of the castle. Harry had Hedwig on his arm and was stroking the owl's feathers lightly. Harry shuffled his feet absently as he smiled sadly at the owl. He was facing Ron but didn't see him leaning against the wall. He looked up slightly from Hedwig on his arm and froze when he caught a glimspe of Ron. Harry began to let down his arm abruptly so Hedwig, irritated, fluttered around him a bit before settling on his shoulder. Ron smiled a greeting in Harry's direction and lifted his hand slightly as a wave. Harry began walking toward Ron, so Ron stood by the wall until he reached him.  
"What are you doing out here?" Harry asked boredly, not seeming to pay much attention to what was really going around him.  
"Looking for you," he replied as he stood up straight. Harry shrugged.  
"For what. It's Valentine's day. Shouldn't you be with Hermione," Harry said, never changing his monotone. Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
"I want to know why you needed to get up so early," Ron asked, sounding genuinely interested. Harry shrugged and began to walk back into the castle. Ron knew to follow.  
"I didn't get a particularly pleasant sleep. I feel too guilty to sleep," he whined. Ron looked at Harry and stopped walking as he cocked his head.  
"What?" he asked. "Guilty about what?" Ron stopped and turned towards Ron.  
"About punching Dean," Harry shouted, trying to jog Ron's memory. Ron laughed.  
"You haven't been in enough trouble before, and you're just now feeling guilty about punching him in the jaw?"  
"I don't exactly have a guilt-free conscious besides," Harry said darkly. Ron nodded. "At least before, I've had reasons, right? Well, I had no reason to punch Dean just because he's going out with Ginny and I'm not." Ron had to bite his lip at this to keep from laughing. Although he knew, Harry had never admitted he liked his sister and Ron didn't want to get him mad by chuckling.  
"Well, at least you didn't get suspended," Ron reasoned. "Good thing too. Hermione and Ginny were mighty worried about you when they heard. Well, I suppose Ginny more mad then worried." Harry stared at Ron.  
"Are you mental? How do you _not_ fall down more?" he demanded to know. When Ron shot him a confused expression, Harry just rolled his eyes frusteratedly. "I suppose Ginny would have found out anyway."  
"Don't worry about a thing, Harry," said Ron, trying to cheer Harry up. "Ginny obviously wasn't too mad with _you_ if she brokeup with Dean for you." Since Ron did not notice Harry's complete disistance of movement, he kept on walking until he finally realized he was alone. By then, he was already a good five meters ahead of Harry. "Er, Harry?" Ron asked hesitantly, "Are you coming? Your erm, not showing any vital signs." Harry snapped his head up to look at Ron. With slight reluctance, he started to walk too-casually along with Ron. Ron decided against saying anything else.  
"She what?" he asked evenly. His voice showed no evidence of worry or anger.  
"She and Dean. Done. No more," Ron repeated quietly. Harry nodded.  
"When." His tone never varied.  
"Last night," Ron said, beginning to feel awkward.  
"Oh."  
"Did you get breakfast?" Harry stared at Ron strangely at his suddenly irrelevant question.  
"No. Did you?"  
"No. Did you?"  
"Ron, you just asked me that."  
"Right. You want, then?"  
"Fine." The two boys dashed inside quicker then before and headed for the kitchen.

"Just two weeks for the ball," declared Ginny excitedly. The two girls were seated on Hermione's bed, their barefeet hanging off the sides and swinging. the Hermione's distracted expression seemed to brighten. Her glow faded a bit when she asked,  
"What about the cancelation?" Ginny guffawed.  
"They wouldn't do this to us. I honestly don't think all the students in this school are going to droptheir just because of a dance," Ginny reasoned. Hermione nodded and smiled wider.  
"I don't know. I'm loosing my head a bit. Those dress robes were expensive!" giggled Hermione. Ginny rolled her eyes.  
"Hermione, those stupid Latin books I have cost more then that dress," Ginny said sarcastically. Hermione glared at Ginny, then scooted on the bed closer to her.  
"Speaking of those books, what are you _doing_ with them?" Hermione asked somewhat irritatedly. Ginny slid off the bed slowly and stood up so that she was on the side of the bed opposite Hermione.  
"Reading them," she said quickly. She was twisting the fringe of her sweatshirt with her palm.  
"Right. Ginny, I'm not a moron. I know that you aren't using those books for conjugating spells," said Hermione firmly. There was certain understanding in her voice that made Ginny take another step back in nervousness. "If you're failing arithmancy, I _can_ help you." Ginny kept her distance, but stamped her foot indignantly.  
"I'm not _failing_ arithmancy," muttered Ginny. Hermione shrugged.  
"Alright Ginny. But Ron is not the only one whom I go through their papers for." Ginny sighed and started to turn away.  
"Not a moron...okay," she said, thinking only she herself could hear.  
"Ginny, I heard sarcasm," snapped Hermione. Ginny whipped around to see Hermione, who had climbed over the bed, walking towards her.  
"Uh huh," Ginny started.  
"_Why_ do I have a feeling I'm missing something?" Hermione demanded, putting her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow at Ginny. Ginny shook her head.  
"Nothing, Hermione, please don't."  
"Don't what?" Hermione asked interestedly. Ginny was shaking her head wildly now and slammed her hands over her mouth.  
"Don't make me blab! You can't say anymore! I'll just - I can - I mean, if you tempt, me, I'll just say anything! Oh, and Ron will just kill me!" shouted Ginny. She rolled her eyes at herself and slammed her fists down. She stomped frusteratedly as she let out a "_Goddammit!_" Hermione's eyes, on the other hand, widened with immense interest.  
"Ron? What does he have to do with anything?" she asked flusteredly. Ginny, who had her hands still clasped over her nose and mouth, began to breathe out of pattern and ran towards the stairs out of the dorm. "Ginny, you wait - " Both Hermione and Ginny, however, had to stop short. Lavender Brown had come into the room, clutching a trembling bag close to her body.  
"Lavender," said Ginny, her voice muffled because her hands still covered her mouth. Hermione turned slowly as she watched Lavender fall onto her own bed.  
"Oh," Lavender gasped in reply, obviously not paying attention to either of them.  
"Uh, Lavender, what's wrong?" asked Hermione politely, looking from Lavender to Ginny expectantly. She came from her spot by Ginny and sat on the side of her bed closest to Lavender's.  
"Boys," Lavender began, "are. Idiots." Hermione nodded.  
"What?" asked Ginny with a snort, unable to believe Lavender Brown was saying this.  
"Idiots," Lavender repeated, sitting upright and staring directly at Ginny. She held the bag she clutched so tightly even closer to her. "That's what boys are. Don't tell me you don't think the same, Weasley! Why else would you have broken up with Dean?" Ginny gaped at Lavender.  
"How do _you_ know about that?" Ginny demanded. Lavender rolled her eyes wtih an accompanying shrug.  
"Please. Big school, fast line of communication," chuffed Lavender simply. Ginny crossed her arms and huffed to herself.  
"Enough man-bashing, Lavender. What is _really_ wrong with you today, after all that you gave me about Valentine's Day," Hermione said.  
"I can't find Seamus anywhere! We were outside, enjoying a picnic, and I was telling him about the excitement of the dance and I turn around and he wasn't there and - " Lavender blurted. Hermione calmed her down.  
"Did you even look for him?" scoffed Ginny. Lavender turned quickly to Ginny and glared at her briefly.  
"Of course I did. I found him, eating outside and laughing with Harry and Ron!" Lavender laughed bitterly. Hermione and Ginny looked from Lavender the each other quickly.  
"What?" they both said.  
"Sorry, Hermione," said Lavender sympathetically.  
"Shove off, Brown," snapped Hermione. She crossed her arms and paced in a small circle by her bed. "I can't _believe_ he's having a better day then I am on Valentine's Day."  
"I thought you said it was a stupid holiday?" asked Ginny teasingly. Hermione rolled her eyes and surrendered with a shrug.  
"I changed my mind. I can't _believe_ I'm saying this, but I wish I had a date," mumbled Hermione, embarrassed. Lavender smiled and clasped her hands together after tossing her bag to the end of the bed. "Don't laugh Ginny. You're the one who came to my dorm whining this morning."  
"I was not whining!" cried Ginny. Lavender got off her bed and put her palms up in the air.  
"I'm sorry I brought this up," she said, exhasperated. The other two girls stared back at her again.  
"You didn't even need to come up here!" shouted Ginny. "Why didn't you just stay with Seamus?"  
"It's my dorm!" shouted Lavender.  
"Alright, calm down," said Hermione. "Let's just go out there and spend the rest of the day doing something _other_ then yelling at each other."

The boys had been surprised to be interrupted by Lavender, Ginny, and Hermione, but after Seamus stutteringly apologized for getting distracted, Lavender gigglingly agreed to go back inside. Hermione and Ginny on the other hand, stayed with the two boys and walked along the castle.  
"I can't believe we have to leave here," Hermione said quietly. Ron made a grab for her hand unsuavely, and Harry had to huff a little bit to himself at this.  
"Don't go on about that, Hermione. You're going to get me all teary-eyed," Ginny said. Hermione and Ron had been leading the way, Harry close behind, and Ginny sort of wandering by Harry.  
"You're not even leaving next year," said Harry. Ginny shrugged.  
"It's still sad. All my best friends will be gone, and I'll have to start finding out what I want to do," Ginny said profoundly.  
"Oh, don't worry, we'll still be there. Well, Hermione and Ron at least. Who knows where I'll be." Harry smiled towards Ginny. Ginny blushed but laughed at his small joke. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and nodded. Harry and Ginny, who were laughing at something neither Ron nor Hermione had heard, didn't seem to notice Ron lead Hermione in another direction.  
"Happy Valentine's Day," said Ron, beaming. Hermione nodded. "What made you come out here? I would have thought you'd be half way through a section of the library by now." Hermione shrugged and looked mesmorized by her feet stepping against the grass.  
"I don't know. I guess that I shouldn't be so against something to the point where I can't be with my boyfriend on Valentine's Day." Ron smiled.  
"You called me your boyfriend," he said, as if this was something to make fun of Hermione for. Hermione looked at him oddly.  
"What? You're not my boyfriend?" she asked. Ron shook his head.  
"I just never heard you _say_ it."  
"Well, you _are_ my boyfriend and I _do_ love you," Hermione said seriously. Suddenly she had to catch her breath. Ron's smile dropped from his face.  
"You who?"  
"Huh?" she breathed.  
"You said _love_," he said, nodding. Hermione stared at him briefly, then slowly nodded.  
"Yes, Ron. I did." Ron smiled.  
"Thanks."  
"Thanks?" she said loudly, bewildered.  
"I mean, I love you too," Ron said with a laugh. He pulled her in for a hug, and standing in the rays of the sun all they could hear was breathing and an occasional loud voice from somewhere by or in the castle. Suddenly, though, Hermione broke the silence.  
"Ginny brought up something I've been thinking about for a while," Hermione said, not looking up at Ron but looking with squinted eyes up at the sky. Ron stopped breathing for a moment, afraid or excited by what she might be talking about. "What...what do you think will happen to us, you know, after we grow up?" Ron sighed.  
"Grow up? Well seeing as that may take a while, I expect our kids will be graduated by then," Ron joked. Hermione laughed through her nose and pulled away from his hug.  
"Really, Ron," Hermione said. "You're going to have to start thinking about what you want to do with your _life_." Ron though he'd had a pretty good idea, but nothing Hermione was asking about.  
"Hermione, I have months and months to even start thinking about it," he said dissmissively. Hermione wouldn't take it. She turned around and shook her head. "Hermione," Ron continued to whine, "what do you want from me?"  
"I want you to realize that life isn't about living in this school and breaking the rules. You're going to have to start taking things seriously if you want to keep up with the rest of us," spat Hermione. Ron stood up straighter indignantly.  
"You mean you want me to be something I'm not? Just to be with you?" Ron yelled back in response. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
"Ron, come off it," she grumbled, cross her arms. "All I want you to do - "  
"All you want me to do?" shouted Ron. "All you want me to do is whatever you say, right? Get a job. Take things seriously. You're turning into my _mum_." Hermione dropped her arms at her side. She looked at him with a certain flame in her eyes. Her fingers twitchingly played with the pockets of her pants. Her facial expression didn't change from the upset look she had, but her hands went from steady to stuttering as they tried to find a place to rest on her body. Finally she closed her eyes and put her hands out in front of her. She waved them as if to cease the argument. She didn't say anything more though. She let her arms back to postion by her side and walked from their spot in the sun and the grass and stormed up back inside the castle. Ron, who had just watched her walk away and stood with his jaw slightly open, rolled his eyes and slammed his palm to his forehead.  
"You're an idiot. A damned idiot. _That_ is what you are," muttered Ron to himself as he made his way into the castle. He was trying to find Hermione, which was something he didn't usually do after he got her mad. She would stay mad at him until she got tired of sitting up in her dorm room. She never actually _forgave_ him for much of what he did. He debated the chance of actually apologizing honestly to her working in his head.

"Do you have any thoughts on what you want to do?" Ginny asked, brushing the leaves of a bush with the tips of her fingers as she walked by. After Hermione and Ron had left them, Ginny and Harry had continued to walk around the castle in the early afternoon sun. Harry looked up at her, as he'd been watching his feet, and shrugged.  
"I don't really have any ideas. I guess...I guess honestly, I didn't picture myself graduating," said Harry calmly and honestly. Ginny nodded in response. They walked a little farther when Ginny stopped. "What are you doing?" asked Harry. Ginny sat down in the grass, right in the middle of a patch of sun.  
"Come on, Harry, sit! It's rarely this sunny on a February morning," said Ginny cheerfully. Harry shrugged and hesitantly sat next to her. Ginny crossed her legs and proceeded to remove her shoes.  
"Wait, what are you doing?" asked Harry cautiously. Ginny just looked at him as she continued to untie the shoelace.  
"Taking off my shoes. I'm going to walk barefoot in the grass," stated Ginny simply. Harry shook his head.  
"No."  
"What?"  
"Take off your _shoes_?"  
"What?" Ginny asked again, this time with a laugh. She pulled off her last shoe and tossed in by her side next to the other.  
"Nobody needs that," Harry joked. Ginny scowled in fun and slapped him on the shoulder.  
"You are in a good mood today," observed Ginny. Harry nodded.  
"You are too, considering you just broke up with your boyfriend," Harry said, apparently in such a casual way that Ginny froze. Her expression didn't change but she didn't make any movement. With a sigh, she srugged it off. "I didn't mean that - "  
"What couldn't you have meant?" asked Ginny quietly. "You didn't leave much space for you to _not_ mean something. Unless, well, but...nevermind." Harry looked down at the ground again and decided to stand back up. "Where are you going?" she demanded.  
"I think I should leave," Harry said quickly. Ginny guffawed.  
"Where? Where do you need to go on a Sunday?" she asked. Harry shrugged and made hand gestures Ginny didn't understand. By the time she'd put her shoes and socks back on and began to get up, Harry had already bolted ahead of her. "Harry, you...stupid moron," she muttered exhasperatedly and sprinted to catch up with him.  
Harry had finally stopped running and was just fast-walking. He didn't know that Ginny was only a step behind him. As he turned back to see so, he almost fell with surprise.  
"I know you didn't mean anything, Harry," Ginny cried. Harry slowed down and returned to a normal pace so Ginny could catch up.  
"It's nothing personal, Ginny," Harry began, "but I don't feel comfortable being around you right now."  
"Me?" Ginny shrieked. "I demand to know _why_." She realized how stubbornly forceful she was being and resorted to just crossing her arms and listening. Harry laughed an eerie laugh that made Ginny nervous.  
"Don't be an idiot, Ginny. You just...you just can't _avoid_...this. What this is," Harry blurted. "I am tired of _this_; either your just going to say it or you're going to shut up and stop bothering me. Seeking me out for torture, that's what you do. You flirt with me then you drag poor Dean around right in front of me." Ginny dropped her jaw open in shock, but she continued to act patient.  
"Say what? What are you expecting I say to you?" As vague as they both were being, they both knew what was really going on. Ginny, however, still did not know how she was supposed to act around him anymore.  
"I'm tired, Ginny, so very tired. You have worn me down," Harry said, acting pathetically exhausted. "I am going to the common room, where the world makes sense." Ginny watched Harry run back towards the castle as she stood still, arms still crossed.  
"We're magic. Since when has the world made sense to us?" Ginny said outloud to herself. She smiled a little at her wit, then, looking around as she realized how dumb that might look to a bystander, uncrossed her arms and walked the same direction Harry had run.

* * *

**A/N**: I had to delay the day I thought I would "publish" this a lot. I'm sorry, it's kind of a lame chapter (no matter how much I write o.O) but I couldn't get to a point as quickly as I thought I would...well, I'm on mid-winter break (it's really just an excuse for us to get out of school, but I honestly don't mind) so I expect the next chapter to get out by the end (the 22nd of Feb.)! Which, a point will be revealed, so yeah, just wait...P 


	10. If Engagement Jewelery Could Talk

**A/N**: I'm sorry this is so behind! I really meant to finish this story on time, but I was prevented from getting onto the internet. Stupid, right? I know. Well, try to enjoy this :P

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**Chapter 10: If Engagement Jewelery Could Talk...**

The rest of the week passed since Valentine's Day. Hermione started speaking to Ron again without him even having to grovel, and Ginny ignored that Sunday by focusing on her studies. She hadn't seen much of Harry since, though. She saw him at meals. The said a few words to each other, but they hadn't had any real conversations. No one else seemed to notice. Dean, despite a few gloomy looks Ginny had received, continued to be himself. Ron kept on setting off Hermione, and Hermione kept forgiving him. Despite their tifts, they weren't ever seen apart by Ginny until after dinner on Friday.  
Ginny had been trying to ignore the increasing volume of voices around her in the common room. She scribbled heartily on her parchment, dipping her quill into the ink several times a minute. However, it was hard to get any of her homework done with everyone around her talking. She'd considered going to the library, but she decided that since she was so close to being done that it would just be a waste of time. The voices grew louder - or really just irritated her more in her mind. In the middle of her Charms essay, she slammed her pen into the bottle and let out a loud, frusterated grunt. Ginny piled her textbooks on top of each other haphazardly and clutched them tightly to her side. She made a grab for the ink and pen and hurried up to her dormitory.  
Before she reached the staircase, she was stopped by a hand pulling her arm back.  
"I need to finish this," she snapped to whoever was behind her.  
"Ginny," replied her youngest brother's voice quickly. Ginny whippped around.  
"Make it quick," she said tensely. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms. Ron shot her a look.  
"Sorry, do I need to make an appointment with your secretary if I need to talk to you?" asked Ron sarcastic-sincerely.  
"What _is_ it? I still have homework to do, Ron," she cried impatiently. Ron nodded one head in the direction of where his dormitory was. Ginny bit her lip in her annoyance as she followed Ron into his dormitory reluctantly, where no one else happened to be. She dropped her books carelessly beside Ron's bed and flopped down, laying her arms by her side limply.  
"I just thought of something," Ron continued. Ginny nodded.  
"There's a first time for everything," she muttered. Ron glared at her.  
"Shut up," he demanded seriously before he continued, "I have a _theory_ on that ring that I may consider giving to Hermione." Ginny tried not to look as interested as she was and just shrugged coolly.  
"When you put it on, whatever you're feeling is said in Latin," Ron recapped. Ginny nodded. "When I put it on, nothing happened _except_ severe effects of the ring. That's all I've been thinking about since Saturday. How odd is that? No one just gives someone a random ring in the Three Broomsticks! How could I _not_ have suspected this sooner? We know what our effects with the - "  
"Ron," Ginny said sternly, "you _need_ to slow down." Ron huffed.  
"Right. Well, we know what happens whenever _you_ put the ring on. We know what happened when I put that ring on - "  
"Are you sure it was just the one time?" joked Ginny, unable to stifle her last sarcastic comment before finally looking at him seriously and interestedly. Ron glared at her and stopped talking. Ginny sighed. "I'm sorry. Go on."  
"When I had that ring on in the Three Broomsticks, I was thinking how disappointed I would be if I didn't get take Hermione to the dance and have the perfect date. I know it sounds like some stupid fantasy, but I was beginning to look forward to it. As soon as I thought that, Hermione _said_ it. Like she read my mind!"  
"Hermione can't read your _mind_, Ron," stated Ginny as if Ron was stupid. Ron gave her a look considering the same for her.  
"I hadn't considered that. Really, Ginny," responded Ron sarcastically, "I know that. But it was really odd! My theory is that whatever you think, whoever you are talking to you will say it." Ginny nodded.  
"I think we should get someone else to try it on," suggested Ginny. Ron shook his head.  
"Are you _trying_ to get everyone to find out about this?" yelled Ron, uncautious to who might hear.  
"Let's just ask Harry to put it on," Ginny suggested again quietly. Ron sighed.  
"Fine," huffed Ron reluctantly, then added with a smirk, "Why don't you go ahead and give it to him?" Ginny gave him a very irritated look that suggested to Ron instantly that he best let Ginny go. Ginny gathered her things hastily and hurried out as the tails of her robes fluttered behind her.

Ron fingered the familiar black box and swayed back and forth in his seat on the bed absently until Seamus and Dean came in. They were laughing and hitting each other on the shoulder in fun. Seamus jumped onto his bed and Dean on his. They seemed exhausted as they pitifully hit the mattress.  
"Have you seen Harry?" Ron asked loudly over their conversation. Seamus spun around.  
"Ah, nope. Maybe. Wait, yes. He is...down in the common room. With Hermione," recalled Seamus.  
"Yeah, Hermione was whispering with Harry about something and he kept getting irritated," added Dean without turning to look at Ron. He kicked a box from underneath his bed further under. Ron recognized that being a box his mother had sent him once. They had been full of boys' shirts and been given to Ginny in case she ever ran out of clothes. Ron was distracted for a moment feeling bad for Dean as he assumed Ginny had given them to him. He considered asking for the shirts back, but pushed the thought away for the moment.  
"Thanks," said Ron almost inaudibly as he stuffed his small box into a pocket in his robes and began to tread down to the common room.  
Most of the people who had been loitering around the common room had gone to their dormitories for the rest of the night or a few just remained to study. Harry had been one who chose to remain studying. Hermione had one of her books open and flipped the pages every few seconds, but she was staring at Harry from across the table with an irritated expression. As Ron stepped closer, Hermione looked up and smiled. Ron flashed a quick smile back.  
"Hi," she said quietly even though she'd turned back to Harry. He seemed unaware he was being watched.  
"I need to talk to Harry a moment. Or really more then a moment, but I just need you to not be here," Ron explained in an almost-whisper. An expression of wrath flashed across Hermione's face, but she shrugged acceptantly.  
"Okay. Then good night, Ron - " she kissed Ron quickly on the cheek and hugged him for a moment " - and good night, _Harry_." Ron couldn't help laughing as soon as Hermione had left.  
"What did you do to her?" Ron asked, still laughing. Harry finally looked up from the book he'd been reading and shrugged.  
"I didn't do anything. I just wasn't answering any of her questions," Harry explained, shutting the book and sliding it across the table. Ron was very tempted to get distracted again and ask what Hermione had been asking Harry, but shook his head to himself and continued. He looked around the room. When he was satified that no one was looking, he flipped open the box to expose the crystal ball ring. He put it in front of Harry.  
"Put it on," he ordered. Harry looked at him with one eyebrow raised.  
"Are you...asking me to marry you?" Harry asked as seriously as he could. Ron closed his eyes in irritation for a moment before crossing his arms like a pouty child and opening his eyes again.  
"Just put it on," demanded Ron again. Harry looked at Ron to the ring cautiously before sighing and snatching the ring from its slit in the velvet. Hesitantly, Harry slipped it on his index finger. Ron watched it intently for a moment. Harry looked at the ring on his finger with skepticism. Then, slowly, the crystal went from a pale white to a glowing red. It turned more and more scarlet and Ron could see Harry's hand tense up from the burning even if he didn't say anything about it. The light from the ring reflected on the walls and on the table. Slowly it faded away.  
"Exactly what happened to me," Ron whispered. Harry looked up at him.  
"Why doesn't it do the same thing that it does for Ginny?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged enthusiastically. Harry put his hand around the band but was stopped.  
"Don't take it off yet," Ron said. Harry looked at him with confusion.  
"Why not?" he asked.  
"I have a theory," Ron began with an expression that showed his confidence that he knew exactly what was going on, "that if you keep that ring on, whatever you're thinking will be said by whoever you're sitting with." Harry nodded.  
"What makes you think that?" Harry asked with obvious interest that showed he wasn't being sarcastic. Ron explained about that afternoon at the Three Broomsticks and Harry furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Hermione said it?" stated Harry. Ron nodded. "And Ginny never said anything?" Ron shook his head. "You haven't said what I'm thinking yet," he added an observation. Ron's expression dropped.  
"Maybe it has to be girl," suggested Ron with a shrug. "But...there are no girls around here. We'll ask Ginny tomorrow." Harry had decided to go ahead and take off the ring. He stopped after pulling it off and looked up at Ron with sudden shock.  
"Why Ginny? We should ask...Parvati. It will be a better test - we're not as close with Parvati," Harry said reasonably, nodding. Ron cast Harry a stern look.  
"You will have to talk to her _eventually_," Ron said. Harry sighed.  
"What am I supposed to say to her?" Harry asked. "It's better if I don't say anything." Ron looked confused.  
"Why don't you just say something ordinary? 'Oh, Ginny, what are your marks in Potions?' 'Have you got any sweets?'" Ron suggested. Harry looked reluctant. Ron sighed. "Or ask to borrow something. 'Do you have any extra quills?' 'Can I borrow an ink bottle?' 'Can I borrow...your shampoo?'"  
"What?" Harry asked indignantly with such surprise. Ron shook his head and shrugged.  
"I am very tired and I cannot make up your conversations with Ginny for the rest of the year," insisted Ron. "Just talk to her, dammit!" Harry glared at Ron for a moment but sat quietly.  
"Wait," asked Harry suddenly. "You said that maybe it has to be a girl. But wasn't Ginny with you and then Hermione came in, and _she's_ the one that said whatever it was you were thinking?" Ron's expression looked blank for a moment as he tried to process this suggestion. Then Ron smiled with a nod.  
"What about _this_," Ron started exhuberantly, "what if it's no one with red hair that answers?" Harry opened his mouth to discourage this thought, but Ron started again, "Harry! I just thought of something brilliant! It's whoever loves you that answers!" Harry's eyes widened slightly and he looked around the room with caution to make sure no one heard Ron.  
"Then I guess we should try someone other then Parvati," Harry said with a laugh through the nose. Ron nodded.  
"I'm sure Ginny hasn't got anything else planned for a Saturday."

"Why are you so nervous?" asked Ron as if Harry sitting silently on the floor beside his bed personally offended him. Harry stood up and leaned against the bedstand.  
"What if I don't want to hear what I'm thinking?" Harry asked indignantly. Ron put a hand on his shoulder.  
"It's just a theory. Of mine. The odds of this being true aren't that high, and even if I end up being right, I doubt whatever Ginny might say is going to be that big a deal," Ron said reasonably. Harry slapped on a confident expression. "Hold on," Ron muttered. Looking around and seeing that Dean was up and out of the room and Seamus was snoring on his bed at almost noon, he dived to the ground and dug for an old box under Dean's bed.  
"Ron, stealing is a serious crime," Harry commented somewhat sarcastically, raising his eyebrows. Ron smiled as he uncovered what he was looking for.  
"Don't worry, they were mine. Well, most recently Ginny's before Dean," Ron said cheerfully with a shrug. He stuffed it under his own bed and sat down. Harry did the same and slapped his palms on his knees.  
"Okay, I'm ready." Ginny bounced up into the room and clapped her hands together. "I feel very excited," exclaimed Ginny cheerily, "I know something very important before Hermione." Ron raised his eyebrows and looked at her strangely.  
"Right, then, Ginny. Good for you," Ron said slowly. Ginny shrugged. "Just sit there." She smiled and sat across from Harry next to Ron. Ron nodded at Harry. Carelessly, Harry removed the precious ring and smashed it onto his finger quickly. The ring showed the glowing, warming signals until it cooled once again.  
"The ring, I just remember researching something about it," Ginny commented.  
"What?" Ron responded, surprised. Harry, Ron, and Ginny had been staring at the ring with immense interest and hadn't looked at each other as they spoke.  
"Crystal balls are used in Divination to see the future, right?" Ginny asked.  
"Uh-hmm."  
"I didn't have any homework Thursday so I spent my time in the library. Something interesting I found out is that crystal balls can be created to read your personalities and your wants," she said informatively.  
"Like what Hermione said was exactly what I wanted to hear," recalled Harry. He looked up from the ring.  
"Exactly what you wanted to hear?" repeated Ginny questioningly.  
"Yeah, like Ron put on the ring, and Hermione, whom he loves, said exactly what he wanted to hear," Harry said suggestively as if putting the pieces to the puzzle together in his mind. Ron stared at Harry with wide eyes. Ginny did the same, clasping her palms together quickly.  
"Good point. Ginny, do you feel anything yet?" Ron asked excitedly. Ginny and Harry looked at each other briefly.  
"I better go check the book and see what else it said," muttered Ginny. She got up to leave but Ron stopped her.  
"You are going to sit down and wait," snapped Ron.  
"And you say _I'm_ turning into mum?" shrieked Ginny wildly. She crossed her arms and sat down. Each one of them let out an almost silent sigh until there was nothing but the sound of Seamus's snoring heard throughout the room.  
"Harry, you don't need to be afraid of me or what I'm going to say. But maybe if you just said exactly how you feel about me we wouldn't be through this awkward situation. I really like you, I admit that, but it's up to you to decide what happens next," blurted out Ginny quickly. She blinked. "I didn't mean to be so forward," she said, blushing almost scarlet red. "I've been meaning to say something to that effect for a while. It just came out. I'm sorry."  
"Don't worry," mumbled Harry awkwardly. "I've known the same thing. You just said it first." Ron stomped his foot.  
"There!" Ron shouted. Seamus jumped in his sleep slightly but just muttered something incoherent and began snoring again.  
"What?" asked Harry and Ginny quietly in unison.  
"Wait," Ginny said. "When we were in the Three Broomsticks, Hermione said what you wanted to hear."  
"And that's what I wanted to hear?" finished Harry questioningly. Ron snapped his fingers.  
"That's it. _That's it_," Ron said, ignoring the steps of whoever was behind him. "We got it. That is what happens when a _boy_ puts on the ring - "  
"Ring?" said Hermione with laughing interest. She put a hand on his shoulder as Ron turned around in horror. "What ring?"

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**A/N:** And it just keeps getting cheesier. No, I'm just kidding, but that was what I was talking about when I said a point would be revealed. Well...anyhow. I hope you enjoyed. 


	11. Don't Bother?

**A/N**: Bwaha, after a hiatus, I am back. I just didn't know what to write, and I kept putting off this chapter until I could finish my first chapter for a challenge on FAP. Which, by the way, I haven't even _started_. Well, I did, then I deleted it all, but anyway...

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**Chapter 11: Don't Bother?**

Ron gave Hermione a look of utter shock. Hermione stood there smiling lightly. Harry struggled to get the ring off his finger and threw it to Ginny. Ginny caught it in midair hastily without Hermione noticing.  
"What ring?" repeated Hermione. Ron turned back to Ginny and saw her slip on the ring very dramatically in front of him before hiding it under her hand as it heated up. Ron nodded and squeaked,  
"Ginny's ring. It's Ginny's ring." Hermione looked at Ron in surprise.  
"What's wrong?" she asked concernedly. "Your voice _changed_ already, didn't it?" Ron nodded. Harry, Ginny, as well as Hermione stared in shock at Ron, who seemed to be sweating profusely.  
"Yes, and I don't think it's fair at all that you can just - just - just _traipse_ into our dormitory when we can't even go into yours! Does no one know how to knock around here? What's _wrong_ with you?" Ron demanded, his voice still just as high pitched.  
"What's wrong with me?" Hermione repeated calmly. "I am not the one shrieking." Ginny jumped up from the bed, shot Ron one last aggravated look and then began tugging at Hermione's arm.  
"Hold on, Ginny," demanded Hermione. Ginny struggled to stay calm. She bit her lip and held a firm grip on Hermione's arm.  
"I really think that we should go to bed," pleaded Ginny. Hermione turned slowly around finally to look at Ginny. Hermione looked from Ginny to Harry.  
"Bed?" spit Hermione as if this was some kind of curse word. "It's not even the afternoon yet!"  
"I didn't mean go to sleep," laughed Ginny nervously. "I meant leave. _Now_." Hermione looked at Ginny to the doorway to Ron. She sighed.  
"No," she said flatly. Ginny gave her a pathetic look but Hermione shook her head. "I don't care how well you think you're hiding this." Hermione turned back to Ron and crossed her arms indignantly.  
Ron hadn't moved since he started squeaking. Ginny still had a limp grip on Hermione's shoulder but look defeated. Harry still sat awkwardly and was playing with his thumbs. Hermione was tapping her foot lightly. She uncrossed her arms and walked to a bed. She sat down with an even heavier sigh.  
"I'm not stupid you know. If I'm not wrong, then I'm sure," said Hermione with a slight essence of annoyance, "you have all been talking about me?" Ron still looked paralyzed with worry and was now looking as if he was overheating underneath his robes. Ginny stood with her arms laying by her sides. Harry was the first to speak up.  
"We were," he said confidently and clearly. Hermione nodded. Ron squeaked, 'Harry!' but not very coherently. "In fact, I think that Hermione has a right to know."  
"She does _not_!" shouted Ginny shrilly, as if her own reputation was in jeopardy and not her brother's. Harry gave her a knowingly look and a slight smile. Ginny opened her mouth as if to say something, then backed down with a light gasp. "I know you're embarrassed," Harry said. He raised his eyebrow slightly. Ginny returned the smile from before. Hermione looked at Ginny with a very worrysome look on her face.  
"Yeah, Ginny didn't want to tell you," Harry continued, "but she's worried that she's the reason you and Ron always fight." Hermione guffawed.  
"What?" scoffed Hermione. Ron nodded quickly.  
"She's worried that her breakup with Dean is having a bad effect on you," Ron chimed in. Ginny pat Ron's shoulder quickly before sitting next to Hermione.  
"I don't exactly help. I always put him down in front of you," pointed out Ginny.  
"And you always are such a prat about boys, Ginny," Ron continued. "Except when it comes to Harry, of course." Ginny got a wild look in her eyes, but kept herself relaxed.  
"Oh, but I do complain about him. Constantly, in fact," insisted Ginny. Harry raised his eyebrow in a not-so-calm manner.  
"Oh, when?" demanded Harry. Ginny shrugged.  
"I guess too much. If it's having such a harsh affect on Hermione," Ginny shot a slightly coquettish smile at both Harry and Ron.  
"Ginny, don't worry about _that_," Hermione insisted. "I do give them a hard time. Especially about Ron not being serious enough." Ginny nodded in agreement.  
"Or caring enough!"  
"Or being too insensitive."  
"Or pushy."  
"Or just plain cocky."  
"Okay, Ginny, that's _enough_," shouted Ron. He'd since regained a normal voice back. Ginny nodded grudgingly and stood up. Hermione had seemed satisfied, but soon crossed her arms in confusion once again.  
"But if that's it, then I'd like to know why you've all been so dodgy lately," demanded Hermione.  
"No, that's it," barked Harry. Hermione dropped her jaw a little.  
"Don't lie to me. You're my best friend, and you - Ginny - and Ron!" Hermione looked near to tears. "I don't - " Hermione gave up. She crossed her arms, more insecurely then indignant. Ron looked at her, and the empathy in his eyes made even Ginny let out a quick gasp of sympathy. Harry wanted to roll his eyes. He knew that there was nothing for Hermione to worry about. Everyone else knew that and while he felt bad, he didn't feel sorry enough to cry for her. Ginny looked directly at Harry. Harry stared back for a moment, then realized she was motioning for them to leave. Harry gave her a confused expression. She rolled her eys and motioned again. Harry shook his head and stood up. Ginny got up as well but strolled out of the dormitory and down to the common room. Ron sat down next to now silent Hermione and put an arm around her shoulder. Harry decided at once Ginny was probably right and followed her down.

"I wouldn't have been able to think that fast," Ginny said as Harry sat down next to her. Harry shrugged.  
"Well, you sure were quick to back me up," Harry replied. Ginny shifted in her seat and glared at him.  
"What do you mean by that?" demanded Ginny.  
"No," Harry said quickly. "I just meant - you were quick too. Ron would've been hesitant in catching up." Ginny nodded and returned to her position.  
"Well, there's a lot of differences between Ron and I," remarked Ginny coyly. Harry laughed quietly.  
"Besides the fact that you're female and get better marks? There are less differences then you think," Harry responded. Ginny faced Harry and hit him hard on the arm.  
"Ouch," Harry said flatly. Ginny rolled her eyes and inched away from Harry. Harry began to feel a rush of awkwardness between them. He began playing with his fingers again and watching his nails as if they'd suddenly become very interesting. He turned slowly to catch a glimpse of Ginny's hands. He noticed that Hermione's engagement ring was still wrapped around her finger, but color seemed to stay a pinkish color. Just as he noticed this, Ginny clasped her hand over her ring finger almost as a reflex. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she took off the ring.  
"I just thought of another difference between me and Ron," Ginny said quietly. Harry turned to look directly at Ginny's face.  
"What?" he asked, not even blinking.  
"I would never do anything this stupid," sighed Ginny. She made a motion as if she was going to toss the ring to the ground, but laid it on her lap instead.  
"What do you mean? You don't think Ron knows he's making the right desicion?" Harry snapped. Besides his defensiveness, he couldn't help feeling a pang of agreement inside. Ginny shook her head confidently.  
"No, of course he doesn't," Ginny said in an almost haughty way. "He's in love with Hermione, that's plain to see. And I don't doubt he _is_ in love. But there's no way in hell Ron is ready to be married!" Her voice continued to rise. "And there's obviously been no time for Ron to think about what mum and dad are going to say! He's been too busy _planning_ and _denying_ and _hiding_!"  
"So just because they're young and straight out of school means they are incapable of being married? Or having a life?" asked Harry somewhat coolly. Ginny nodded with a scornful expression and opened her mouth to continue. She stopped with her mouth wide open when she saw Harry's almost dark expression. Ginny stamped her foot.  
"No," she muttered, "no, I didn't mean that. It's not that I doubt that _people_ can't be responsible enough out of Hogwarts." Ginny continued to explain diplomatically, "Of all people, Hermione is the most adult person I've ever _met_, besides actual adults, of course. It's just that, Ron is still such a child. He still needs his mum and dad - as do I, I hate to admit - and he's just not prepared to support Hermione." Harry shrugged doubtfully. He ran his fingers through is messy, black hair. Then he looked at Ginny again, staring her straight in her green eyes and shrugged with a question.  
"We can't stop him. I don't run Ron's life," said Harry plainly. Ginny shook her head.  
"Ron thinks he can make his own desicions. We've tried to tell him that proposing is a bad idea but - "  
"Have you?" demanded Harry loudly. Ginny looked taken aback. "Please! You get lovestruck by the sound of the word 'marriage'. If anyone has been encouraging him the most, it's been you! With your voluntary reasearch and your excitement - it's your fault!" Ginny looked enraged now and jumped up. If Harry had not been up against worse, he would've been terrified. Instead he just stood up.  
"Excuse me?" shrieked Ginny. A few people who were in the common room had been glancing at the scene they were causing, but they were certainly a source of entertainment now. "_This_ - _is_ - _not_ - _my_ - _fault_!" She stood there, unable to stay still as her hands flailed about - from pulling the back of her hair too tugging the bottom of her blouse. She let out a shrill sound of frusteration and stormed after her own dormitory. Harry, who hadn't been one to chase after her before, grabbed her arm before she could reach her staircase.  
"Don't be so dramatic, Ginny," barked Harry.  
"Now you're ordering me. That's nice," said Ginny through gritted teeth. "But I will not stand here and let you place all the blame on me. I care about him as much as you do! You're his best friend, so why don't you do something?" Harry looked hesitant for a moment. Then said,  
"It's not my life to run. I can stay out of it and let him think about it, because one thing I am _not_ going to ruin is their relationship! But are you helping? No! So why don't you just stop pushing him and leave him alone," Ginny jerked herself away from his grip.  
"You will not grab me," said Ginny indignantly. "If you think I don't care about my brother then you have some nerve. You walk around here thinking that no one tries to care when you know very well how untrue that is! So don't act so arrogant or you're going to lose a lot more then you deserve." She took Harry's brief moment of shocked silence as a reply and treaded off to her room once again. There was something about this that made Harry more eager to back away then chase after her.

"Ever since I've known you, you've been my biggest crush or one of my best friends," said Hermione. Her head was rested on Ron's shoulder and her hand in his. There had been silence for a while and Ron moved off her slightly when she broke it. Hermione continued, "It's not that you have secrets that scare me - it's that I _know_ you're lying. _That's_ what upsets me."  
"You now how lies are sometimes good?" suggested Ron casually. Hermione laughed but shook her head.  
"You'll tell me eventually?" asked Hermione expectantly. Ron nodded and pulled her a little closer.  
"You'll definitely find out eventually," Ron said. They were quiet a little while longer until Ron spoke up again, "I don't _like_ lying to you. It's not something I enjoy. It's not like _Quidditch_." Hermione wrapped Ron's arm a little closer to her.  
"Nobody likes lying. I just hope you will be someone I can always trust," said Hermione closing her eyes and just resting against Ron. Ron closed his own eyes, too.  
"As if we were to get married or something?" asked Ron. Suddenly, Ron felt like slapping his hand to his forehead.  
"What?" laughed Hermione loudly. So loudly and incredulously, in fact, that Seamus almost fell out of his bed. Hermione slid away from Ron on the bed so that they were no longer touching but just sitting next to each other. Seamus still had been sleeping all this time dove for the nearest clock once he was conscious.  
"What the - when did - why didn't you guys wake me up?" he demanded groggily.  
"Because I'm not a bloody clock, Seamus," laughed Ron in a very irritated way. Seamus glared at him but shooed the two out so that he would dress and get downstairs. Hermione made a point of acting revolted as she rushed in front of Ron. Once in the common room, Hermione began to laugh again.  
"What?" asked Ron, feeling very left out of something.  
"No. I just - I just remembered you comparing us now to 'marriage'," Hermione said, hitting his arm playfully. "I know you can't be serious, Ron." Ron tried his best to express hurt in his face.  
"What makes you say that?" asked Ron quietly and a bit nervously. Hermione smiled at him brightly and shrugged.  
"We're not going to get married anytime soon. Maybe someday of course, but it's not like after graduating we're making a point of, erm, making it official," Hermione said pointedly. Ron swallowed hard.  
"Really?" Ron, struggling very hard to keep disappointment out of his voice. Hermione stared at him curiously.  
"Why? Do you want to get married?" Hermioned asked slowly, "Right now?"  
"Not right now," muttered Ron, "maybe not ever." It was Hermione's turn to look disappointed.  
"Not _ever_?" Hermioned asked breathlessly. "Can you honestly tell me that after growing up in such a big family you never want to get married?" Ron shrugged.  
"I don't know," Ron said. "You're the one who doesn't want to get married."  
"Ron! I'm in school! I have Hogwarts to finish! Then I have to get a job! And I don't even want to start thinking about having a family until I can get _that_ together! I never said I never wanted to marry you," Hermione said, exhasperated. Ron shrugged and sighed. Hermione rest a hand on his shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something, but was suddenly interrupted by a tap on her own shoulder. It was Lavender Brown.  
"Not all of us finished our homework in our dorm rooms last night," she said miserably. She looked somewhat irritated and exhausted, not as cheerful and bubbly as Hermionewas used toher. "If there was less storming in and out of the common room I wouldn't be so distracted. I get enough of distraction from my boyfriend." Lavender flashed a quick smile. Lavender rolled her eyes and Ron snapped quickly,  
"Yes, a boyfriend who was considerate enough to wait until this afternoon to get out of the damned dorm room." Lavender huffed.  
"My point is, quiet down," demanded Lavender shrilly.  
"Anyway," Hermione said slowly but quietly, "I love you, very much." Hermione paused for a smile. "But we don't have to worry about getting married for a while, alright?" Ron had to force himself to keep his smile straight. He sighed.  
"Fine. I won't worry."

* * *

**A/N**: I hope to have the next installment a lot quicker! 


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